CENTRAL EUROPE: PRE TRIP INFO

11 Million in Czech Republic of which Prague has 1.4 Million.
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic, often referred to as the “City of a Hundred Spires” for its stunning Gothic and Baroque architecture.

Geography

Located in Central Europe, Prague sits along the Vltava River in the north-western part of the Czech Republic.
The city features a mix of hills, riverbanks, and historic bridges, with well-preserved medieval architecture side by side with modern infrastructure.
The Czech Republic itself is landlocked, bordered by Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Poland.

Language

Czech is the official language.
English is widely understood in Prague, especially in tourist areas, hotels, and amongst the younger population.

Currency

Czech Koruna (CZK)
1 USD = ~23 CZK (roughly)
1 GBP = ~29 CZK (roughly)

Religion

While the Czech Republic is one of the most secular countries in the world, Roman Catholicism is historically the dominant faith.
Today, a large portion of the population identifies as non-religious, with smaller communities practicing Christianity, Protestantism, and other religions.

VIENNA/AUSTRIA

Population

9 Million in Austria of which Vienna has 2 Million.
Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria, known for its imperial history, classical music heritage, and high quality of life. It serves as the political, cultural, and economic center of the country.

Geography

Located in the northeastern part of Austria, Vienna is near the borders of Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.
The city blends historic charm with modern urban planning—featuring grand palaces, leafy parks, and a vibrant café culture.
Austria itself is a landlocked country nestled in the heart of Europe and dominated by the scenic Eastern Alps.

Language

German is the official language although English is widely spoken.

Currency

Euro (EUR)
1 USD = ~0.93 EUR (roughly)
1 GBP = ~1.17 EUR (roughly)

Religion

Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion.

BUDAPEST/HUNGARY

Population

9.6 Million in Hungary of which 1.7 Million are in Budapest.
Budapest is the capital and largest city of Hungary, often described as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It is a vibrant cultural and economic center, split by the Danube River into the historic Buda and bustling Pest sides.

Geography

Situated in central Hungary, Budapest lies along the Danube River, with the scenic Buda Hills to the west and the flat plains of Pest to the east.
The city is known for its striking architecture, thermal baths, and panoramic viewpoints.
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Romania, and several other nations.

Language

Hungarian (Magyar) is the official language with English also widely spoken.

Currency

Hungarian Forint (HUF)
1 USD = ~370 HUF (roughly)
1 GBP = ~460 HUF (roughly)

Religion

Christianity is the dominant religion, with Roman Catholicism being the largest denomination.
There are also Protestant, Orthodox, Jewish, and growing secular communities within the city.

1.2 WHERE WE VISIT

Prague (2 nights)

Our European adventure begins in Prague, the “City of a Hundred Spires.” With its enchanting mix of Gothic churches, cobbled alleys, and buzzing beer halls, Prague casts a spell from the moment you arrive. After your transfer to the hotel, we’ll kick things off with a relaxed welcome and traditional Czech dinner. The next day, we’ll dive deeper with a walking tour through Old Town, across Charles Bridge, and up to Prague Castle. We’ll then finish our time in the city with a beer tasting combined with food pairing experience.

Vienna (2 nights)

Next, we hop on a scenic train to Vienna—Austria’s imperial capital and a city steeped in elegance. After arriving, we’ll do short walking tour to orientate you with the main sights and then the rest of the day will be free for you to explore the cafés, palaces, and grand boulevards at your own pace. The following day we’ll head outside of Vienna’s Old Town on a guided food tour—sampling the whole array of local food on offer. It’s a delicious way to get to know the city better. In the evening, we step into the world of Mozart and Strauss with a classical concert in a stunning historic venue.

Budapest (3 nights)

Our final stop is Budapest, where East meets West in a city of thermal baths, dramatic views, and bohemian flair. We’ll start our time in the city with a short walking tour of the Pest side of the river and point out some places worth you exploring further during your free time in the coming days (especially Castle Hill and Gellert Hill on the Buda side of the river). This is the city where we’ll spend most time and so over the next few days you’ll enjoy many fun activities to help you get to know the city – a Hungarian cooking class, Széchenyi thermal baths, a Danube river cruise – and then, to end on a high, we’ll top off a wonderful week with a wine tasting experience in the Etyek wine region, a short drive from Budapest.

1.3 WEATHER

We choose our trip dates based on when we believe are the best times to visit Central Europe—taking into account weather, prices, and tourist crowds, as all these factors can vary significantly throughout the year.

You can see the expected temperatures below.

Note – we’ve shown Vienna as a reference point but you can expect similar in Prague and Budapest.

We’re running this trip at various times throughout the year, therefore the weather can be very different depending on which season you come.

Rain is always a possibility in this part of Europe, even in summer, so we highly recommend packing a lightweight rain jacket or compact umbrella just in case.

Weather Celsius

Weather Fahrenheit

1.4 ITINERARY OVERVIEW

A summary version of the itinerary. You can find the more detailed version here.

Day	Where	Activities
1	Prague	Arrival + Welcome Dinner
2	Prague	Prague Walking Tour + Beer Tasting/Dinner
3	Vienna	Train to Vienna + Food Tour
4	Vienna	Vienna Old Town Walking Tour + Free Time + Classical Music Concert
5	Busapest	Train to Budapest + Pest Walking Tour
6	Budapest	Thermal Baths + Cooking Class + Danube Boat Cruise
7	Budapest	Free Morning + Etyek Wine Tasting
8	Budapest	Farewell

A detailed hour-by-hour schedule will be provided 10 days before the trip.

Some special notes to add about the itinerary.

1. Pace and Free Time

This is a fast-paced, experience-rich itinerary. Over the course of the trip, we visit three countries and multiple capital cities, which means we keep things moving and make the most of our time in each place.

Because of this, you won’t be able to see and do everything in every destination. Rather than trying to cover everything, we’ve carefully chosen a mix of activities that give you a well-rounded, meaningful introduction to each place—balancing must-see highlights with experiences that help you understand the culture, history and local way of life.

What this means in practice is that free time is more limited than on slower-paced trips. You’ll have some opportunities to explore independently, but the focus is on sharing a curated set of experiences as a group, rather than long stretches of unstructured time.

2. Alcohol and Social Experiences

Some of the experiences on this trip include alcohol, as it’s a natural part of the local culture in Central Europe.

In particular, there are two activities where alcohol is a central part of the experience:

A beer sommelier dinner in Prague (a 5-course tasting menu paired with local beers)
A winery visit in the Etyek region near Budapest, including tastings at 2–3 wineries

In addition, a small amount of beer or wine may be offered during other experiences such as the Vienna food tour, Budapest boat cruise, and cooking class.

That said, this is not a party-focused trip, and alcohol is always part of a broader cultural or social experience rather than the main event. Everything is enjoyed in moderation, and there is no expectation to drink.

If you don’t drink alcohol, you’re absolutely welcome on this trip—many of our travelers don’t. You’ll still be able to fully take part in the experiences, and non-alcoholic options are generally available. We simply want to be upfront that alcohol does feature at various points throughout the itinerary.

3. Christmas Markets

For our Nov/Dec tours we operate our standard itinerary and don’t formally include Christmas Market visits, however, we include sufficient time for you to explore the markets at your own pace in each of the cities.

1.5 INCLUDED/EXCLUDED

Included:-

8-days / 7-nights: 2 Prague, 2 Vienna, 3 Budapest
Accommodation in hand-picked 4-star hotels (based on sharing twin room)
Meals – all breakfasts, 3 lunches & 3 dinners
Airport pickups & drop-offs
All transportation & activities within itinerary (excluding optional activities)
A trip host plus various local experts

Excluded:-

International flights to get you to Prague and from Budapest
Alcoholic drinks (except those specifically provided as part of itinerary)
Water & soft drinks (outside of those provided with meals)
Additional meals (outside of those explicitly stated as included)
Optional activities during free time
Tips (for Tour Leaders, local guides, bus drivers etc…)
Travel insurance

1.6 HOTELS

As standard, we use the hotels listed at the bottom of our itinerary page.

From time to time we may need to change a specific hotel if for example it’s not available on those given dates. But in such situations, we will always replace with another hotel at the same quality.

Some special notes regarding hotels:-

Hotel check-in is not until 3pm. Sometimes earlier check-in is possible, however, it won’t be possible to know in advance because it will depend on hotel availability that day (and what time other hotel guests check-out). The only way to guarantee an early check-in is if you’re willing to pay for the hotel from the night before.

You will be sharing a twin room with a fellow traveler of the same gender, unless you specifically paid extra for a private room (these are dependent on availability, see prices in FAQ section of itinerary page).

If you are planning to tag on extra days on either side of the trip, we can help book you into our hotels. We can only guarantee this if you let us know more than 70 days before the trip and we can only do this for a maximum of 2 nights on either side. Any longer and we recommend you book directly with the hotels. Note – contact us for rates for pre and post-trip accommodation.

1.7 ROOM SHARING

As standard, the default on all of our trips is that you will share a room with another traveler. These will be twin rooms, with 2 separate beds, and shared by a max of 2 people.

You will always share with another traveler of the same gender, and we will typically pair you with someone around the same age. You will share with this person for the duration of the itinerary.

Note that we operate this way because – by splitting the room cost between two people – it allows us to keep the overall OWR trip price down.

It is however possible for you to pay extra for a private room if you prefer. Prices for this are shown in the FAQ section of the itinerary page. We hold a limited number of private rooms and these will be allocated on a first come, first served basis (therefore, please check in with us for availability).

In our experience, most people are happy sharing a twin room and it typically works out well.

Some Important Things to Consider:-

SNORING

If you snore, then we highly recommend that you book a private room. While we understand that this will cost you more, it is important to think of the negative impact/experience the snoring could have on any potential roommate.

LIGHT SLEEPERS

Likewise, if you consider yourself to be a light sleeper and are easily woken by the sounds or movements or others, then we also recommend you also consider booking a private room in order to get the most out of the experience.

In addition…

If you would like to book a private room then it is much better to do this in advance of the trip! If you originally signed up for a shared room and then request to move to a private room during the trip, it will be much more challenging because:-

We cannot guarantee that there will still be rooms available (since we will have released our OWR allocation by then).

Our quoted OWR rates will no longer apply (it will be whatever last-minute rates the hotels provide).

Therefore, it is much better for you if you can make this decision ahead of time!

2. Getting Prepared

2.1 TRIP COUNTDOWN TIMELINE

This is what you should expect in the lead up to your trip.

Book trip (secure your spot with a deposit)

Book international flights (these can be booked at any point after we’ve confirmed your spot – don’t leave too late as price will go up closer to trip)

Purchase travel insurance (this will cover for issues leading up to trip as well as during)

> 70 Days Before Trip (cancellation penalties kick-in beyond this point)

Full balance must be paid
OWR sends survey: requests flight information, dietary requirements, health conditions, emergency contacts etc…(must be returned within 7 days)

> 10 Days Before Trip

OWR sends day-by-day schedule, optional activity recommendations & some final info to prepare you for trip

> 3 Days Before Trip

WhatsApp group created with all trip attendees + Tour Leader

> Trip Start Date

Welcome meeting is typically scheduled for 6pm on first day. This is where you will meet your Tour Leader and other guests (note – we may change this time depending on overall group arrival times. If it changes we will notify you).

2.2 CANCELLATIONS / TRIP MOVES

The £200/$250 deposit is non-refundable. However, if you need to cancel at any point, you can put this towards any future trip you book with us (in any location).

The rest of the balance is refundable up until 70 days before the trip. From that point the following cancellation terms will apply:-

> 30-70 days before trip – 50% refund

> 0–30 days before trip – 0% refund

Important Note – it is not possible for us to make exceptions to these terms since from the 70 days mark we will commit payments to our local suppliers in Central Europe and will be bound by their strict cancellation terms. This is why it’s very important for you to take out a travel insurance policy which includes trip cancellation (from the point of booking the trip).

This applies also to requests to change to an alternative future OWR trip, when such requests are made within 70 days of your scheduled trip departure.

2.3 VISA REQUIREMENTS

Citizens from US, Canada, UK and Australia/NZ do not need to apply for a visa to enter Central Europe (the Czech Republic/ Austria/ Hungary).

If you are from a different country, please check your country specific requirements.

2.4 VACCINATIONS

There are no mandatory vaccinations for entering the Czech Republic, Austria or Hungary, only recommendations that you are up to date on the “routine” vaccinations you would have in your own country.

Standard travel vaccinations – information online tends to vary, we recommend checking with a reputable source such as the one below (or the equivalent from your own country).

Note – we have only shown below Austria since it is the same for all 3 countries.

US:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/austria

UK:

https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/16/austria#Vaccine_Recommendations

Please read through these and compare with your current vaccination status (it is your responsibility to ensure you are adequately vaccinated).

2.5 TRAVEL INSURANCE

It is mandatory that all guests have travel insurance in place prior to joining our trips.

Some important info relating to this:-

You must have travel insurance in place to join the trip. No exceptions.
We will ask you to provide your policy number and 24hr emergency contact number (this will be part of the OWR survey 70 days pre trip).
At a minimum it must cover the mandatory elements mentioned in our booking terms (personal accident, death, medical expenses and emergency repatriation).
However, we strongly recommend you also include the “trip cancellation” coverage. This will cover you for things that can happen between booking the trip and the trip actually starting. Examples are: changes to your personal circumstances, destinations becoming unsafe to travel, flight issues stopping you from joining the tour etc…
We recommend that you start your coverage from the point of booking the tour.
It is your responsibility to ensure your policy covers all of the activities specified on the trip itinerary, in addition to any optional activities you plan to do.

There are numerous policies on the market and you should choose whichever is most appropriate for you. Here’s a small selection to consider:-

World Nomads

Allianz Travel Insurance

BattleFace

Tru Traveller

2.6 LUGGAGE

You can travel with a suitcase or backpack, the choice is completely yours (fyi, most people typically do suitcase).
There are no domestic flights with this itinerary, but we ask you to restrict your luggage to one standard piece weighing no more than 20kg/45lbs. This is due to limited space on our private bus transfers and train rides.
Travelers are responsible for handling their own luggage at stations and during transfers, so we recommend bringing a small to medium-sized suitcase.
It’s also worth considering whether you could do the trip with cabin luggage only – this would mitigate any risk of lost luggage by the airlines on your international flights (which is not frequent but does happen from time to time).

2.7 LOCAL CURRENCY

In Central Europe, you’ll be visiting three countries—each with its own currency:

Austria: Euro (EUR €)
Hungary: Hungarian Forint (HUF Ft)
Czech Republic: Czech Koruna (CZK Kč)

If you prefer not to take out 3 currencies, you can pay for almost everything by card and guides will be happy with tips in Euros.

You can exchange money in advance, or withdraw local currency from ATMs using a debit or credit card. ATMs are widely available in all three countries and usually offer competitive exchange rates. Just make sure your card is enabled for international use.

Your Tour Leader will point you to the nearest ATM or money exchange if needed.

2.8 PHONE, INTERNET & WHATSAPP

In most locations there is good phone signal and internet access and WIFI is available in hotels & restaurants.

Check out the plan of your phone provider to understand if data roaming is included as part of your package. If not, it is very easy to buy an e-sim for European countries, in which case we recommend Holafly or Airalo services. Normally they will sell a “Europe” bundle which will cover all 3 countries.

You can also buy a local SIM card upon arrival in Central Europe. SIM cards from Austria, the Czech Republic, or Hungary usually work across all three countries without extra roaming charges, since they are all part of the European Union. Foreign visitors can purchase specific traveller sim cards which are available throughout the larger cities and major airports. Ask your Tour Leader for instructions.

We will use WhatsApp as a means of communicating with the group while on tour and recommend you download this to your phone if you don’t already have it.

2.9 ARRIVAL INFO & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Our trip starts in Prague and you should fly into Prague Vaclav Havel Airport (airport code PRG).

Ideally you should arrive at the hotel by 6pm on the first day. This is when we have our welcome meeting and afterwards go for dinner (although if you arrive later it’s fine to catch up).

There will be someone there to meet you upon arrival as you walk through the gates (they will have a sign with your name on it).

Hotel check-in is not until 3pm but if arriving earlier you can drop off your bags and go explore the surrounding area.

Please ensure that you have read all of the EU entry requirements (it is your responsibility to ensure you comply):-

US Citizen Entry Requirements

UK Citizen Entry Requirements

CA Citizen Entry Requirements

(if from a different country, please check those requirements specific to your home country)

When going through passport control in the EU you may be asked to show the following:-

Passport (must be issued less than 10 years ago + valid for at least six months after your planned departure from the European Schengen Area. It must also be machine-readable)
Evidence of return flight leaving the EU
Prague hotel address: Mosaic House Design Hotel, Prague, Odborů 278/4, 120 00 Nové Město, Czechia

Please have this information on hand.

2.10 DEPARTURE INFO

You should arrange your flight home from Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport (airport code BUD). We will arrange your airport transfer according to your flight time.

You can leave at any time on the last day. There are no activities scheduled for that day.

2.11 AIRPORT TRANSFERS

Airport transfers are included at both the start and end of the trip.

The following conditions apply:-

We only do transfers between airports and our selected hotels. No other locations (other hotels, Airbnbs etc…)
For those tagging on extra days, we will endeavour to include transfers up to 2 days outside of official tour dates. Beyond this we will not include transfers.

2.12 PACKING GUIDELINES / CHECKLIST

We plan trips to Central Europe (Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary) during different times of the year, so the weather can vary depending on the season.

See weather guidance in section 1.3 above.

If you are coming during the winter, it will generally be cold. Therefore, bring appropriate winter clothing.

If you are coming during spring, summer, autumn it will generally be warm. Therefore you can wear mainly summer clothing.

This is a predominantly city based trip, therefore we suggest wearing what you would normally wear during a city break at this time of year.

We don’t usually suggest specific clothing items, as personal style varies, but below are a few key things to consider when packing.

Documents

Flight info (especially important to be able to show you have a flight leaving the EU)
Travel Insurance info (especially your policy number & 24hr emergency number)
Passport
Supporting documentation for medications – see advice here

Things To Think About

Swimsuits (for the thermal baths)
Slippers or flip-flops (required for the thermal baths)
Comfortable shoes/trainers for walking day-to-day (and something that could be waterproof in the rain)
Lightweight rain jacket
Day backpack/bag
Sunglasses
Power supplies/batteries – for phones, laptops, cameras, etc.
Camera
Ear Plugs (if a sensitive sleeper)
Personal entertainment (books, podcasts, etc., for travel time)
Toiletries
Personal Medication
Travel sickness pills (if necessary)
Sun protection
Refillable Water Bottle

Other

Download WhatsApp on phone (to be used for group comms while on tour)
Set up data roaming

3. During Tour

3.1 TRIP EXECUTION & TOUR LEADER

You Tour Leader is responsible for leading the group throughout the trip, they will be there from the welcome meeting at the start until the last morning when the trip ends. We will connect you with your Tour Leader – via WhatsApp – in the days leading up to the trip.

They will be your first point of contact for any issues during the trip but you can also contact us at [email protected]

3.2 FREE TIME

At various points during the trip the trip schedule will show ‘Downtime’ and ‘Free Time’

Downtime is where there are a couple of hours or so free between activities. There is probably enough time to go for a coffee, relax or go for a wander but not quite enough time to go do another activity.

Free Time is where there is a sizeable chunk of time available – half day or full day – where you could feasibly go off and do another activity (outside of the OWR itinerary). It is there to give you flexibility to go do your own thing and explore your own interests.

We will provide recommendations of possible activities for you to do during Free Time (we will send this 10 days before the trip).

We don’t recommend booking anything prior to arriving in Central Europe as typically most things can be arranged at short notice and often our guests decide to do things with other people in the group.

3.3 SCHEDULE CHANGES

While we endeavour to operate all trips as described in the published itineraries we always reserve the right to change the trip itinerary.

Changes may be necessary as a result of unforeseen circumstances, operational concerns, concerns for your health, safety, enjoyment or comfort.

Any changes are at the discretion of OWR.

This includes the right to replace Tour Leaders, alter accommodations, change transport, modify the order in which places are to visited, and make any other changes to the itinerary.

We will inform you of any such changes as soon as reasonably possible.

3.4 BEHAVIOUR ON TOUR

We request that all guests take responsibility for their personal behaviour on the tour, specifically to:-

Respect the decisions of the Tour Leader (and raise concerns respectfully)
Show respect and consideration for the other members of the group
Drink alcohol responsibly
In addition we have an absolutely zero tolerance no drugs policy.
Be on time to start activities as per the schedule (be respectful of the time of other members of the group)

We also ask that you read about our OWR Trip Style prior to joining the trip.

3.5 SAFETY ADVICE

In general the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary are safe countries to travel.

Millions of foreigners visit every year and the vast majority of those are trouble free.

However, we do recommend taking some extra precautions and being more vigilant than you typically would in your home country.

Leave jewellery / expensive handbags etc… at home
Don’t go wandering outside the tourist areas without a localKeep only small amounts of cash on you when out and about
Drink alcohol moderately, avoid making yourself vulnerable (and don’t leave drinks unattended)
Avoid walking alone at night
Don’t go off to party with people you’ve just met!

We also strongly recommend reading the travel advice provided by your government / consulate / foreign office.

3.6 SPENDING MONEY

We include include just about everything on the tour.

The itinerary was designed so that while you’re in Central Europe, all you need to do is focus on enjoying yourself.

With that said you will likely need a little spending money which we estimate as follows:

$350 – $600 (US)
£300 – £500 (UK)

(for other currencies please convert)

These estimates factor in lunches and dinners not included within the itinerary; snacks and water; a couple of alcoholic drinks each day; and optional activities during free time.

You may need more depending on your tastes and for additional items such as souvenirs.

We also recommend you have access to additional funds in case of an emergency.

3.7 TIPPING

Tips for guides are not included and are therefore completely at your discretion.

You will encounter various local guides and drivers during the trip and if you are planning to tip it is useful to carry some cash for this purpose. While tipping is not mandatory in Central Europe, it is customary to offer a small tip as a gesture of appreciation for good service.

At the end of the trip you may also want to tip your Tour Leader who would have been with you for the full duration of the trip. A recommended amount is $4-$7 (£3-£5) per day (per person), but this is completely up to you and you should only tip what you feel comfortable with.

3.8 LAUNDRY

Some travellers prefer to pack light and do laundry while on tour. There will be various points throughout the trip to do laundry (your Tour Leader will inform you during the trip).

3.9 POST TRIP

We will send you a survey asking for feedback on your experience.

If you enjoyed the tour we would love it if you could recommend us on Google and/or Facebook.

We also have some special offers to those on our trips:

If you book a new trip within 2 weeks of your current trip ending, you get a £200 / $250 discount.

If you book a new trip after this point, we still offer a £100 / $125 discount.

4. Readiness Checklist

We know this is a lot of information to digest, therefore, here’s a quick checklist to ensure you’re ready for your upcoming trip.

Have you:-

Purchased your international flights to Prague and from Budapest?
Purchased travel insurance?
Paid your full balance with OWR?
Checked your passport validity? (expiry date must be 6 months beyond your Central Europe departure date + 1 blank page)
Checked that you have your up to date routine vaccines?
Completed the OWR survey (will be sent 70 days before the trip)
Checked our packing guidelines?
Set up your data roaming + downloaded WhatsApp?
Changed money or made plans to withdraw cash in Central Europe for tips etc…
Read our OWR Trip Style document to ensure you are comfortable with what to expect?

If so – you are good to go!