Included
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UK return transfers from Ross-on-Wye to London Heathrow
Return flights Heathrow/Budapest with British Airways
Airport departure taxes and checked baggage allowance
Arrival transfer from Budapest Airport to the hotel with guide
6 nights’ bed & breakfast accommodation plus dinner on the
night of arrival at the 4* Novotel Budapest Centrum
Dinner on the final evening in a local restaurant close to the
hotel with tea/coffee to follow
All entrance fees, as per the itinerary
Full day guided tour to include The State Opera House, St
Stephen’s Basilica, Castle District, National Gallery, Mathias
Church, Fisherman’s Bastion, Citadella.
Half day guided tour of Godollo Royal Mansion with coffee
and cake on arrival
Full day guided tour to include Memento Statue Park,
Museum of Applied Art, Hungarian Parliament Building
Full day guided tour to the Danube Bend (including lunch),
plus Szentendre, Margit Kovacs Ceramic Museum,
Visegrad and Eszertogom.
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Cruise on the Danube River
Half day guided tour of the Museum of Fine
Arts and Vajdahunyad Castle
Final group dinner
Coach transfer from Budapest hotel to the
airport
Budapest, Pearl of the Danube
11 /17 September 2012
with Ross
Ross--on
on--Wye DFAS
Excluded
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Travel Insurance
Additional entrance fees to places of interest
other than those detailed in the itinerary
Dinners and lunches, other than those
detailed in the itinerary
Gratuities ( We recommend an amount of
approximately 15 Euros per person)
If you would like large print
versions of our Tour Brochure,
please ask us.
The price of this tour is guaranteed against alteration due to fluctuations in the rate of exchange.
This air holiday is ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 3683. Please see our booking
conditions for more information.
Travel Insurance: please refer to the important information on the reverse of the booking form. All passengers taking our insurance
must declare any reason, medical or otherwise, which may influence the insurer’s opinion in offering cover, including any current
medication being taken. The direct telephone number you should call is 0845 250 5220 and the Optimum Medical Helpline will advise
whether or not you are eligible for insurance cover once you have disclosed your medical status. Any passengers who do not wish to
take our insurance must please advise us of the name of the insurance company with whom they are insured, the policy number and
the telephone contact number of the Emergency Assistance Company.
The European Economic Area countries will provide free or reduced cost medical assistance provided that you are the holder of a
valid EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). An EHIC can be obtained free from your Post Office or online at the Dept of Health
website www.dh.gov.uk . If you travel without an EHIC and then claim against your medical travel insurance, it could adversely affect
your claim. You still require travel insurance regardless of whether you obtain an EHIC.
At the time of printing this information, there are no mandatory health requirements for visitors to Hungary. However, you should
contact NHS Direct (0845 46 47) to check that any necessary vaccinations are up to date. British Nationals will require a full 10 year
passport. Requirements governing passport validity vary and we would therefore recommend that you consider early renewal if your
passport is due to expire within 6 months of the tour’s return. A visa is not required for British Nationals. If you are not a British
National, please ask us for advice.
If before you book, any changes have to be made to the arrangements described here, you will be informed at the time of booking.
During the tour, details in the itinerary may be subject to alteration at the discretion of the group leader and in accordance with the
wishes of a clear majority of the passengers.
The Corso Little Prince
The Danube & Parliament Building
Ancient Buda, on a hill to the west, and modern Pest to the east, span the mighty Danube
forming one of the greatest metropolitan cities of Central Europe. In a country rich with culture
and natural beauty, the perpetual appeal of this exquisite capital city lies in its diverse heritage .
Budapest offers a multitude of sights from Roman remains, through to beautiful Romanesque
churches, art nouveau architecture and imposing ruined castles. Our tour incorporates all of
these elements plus a delightful river cruise and free time for independent sightseeing.
Tuesday 11 September
We depart by coach from our local pick up points and travel to London’s Heathrow Airport for our afternoon British Airways
flight to Budapest. Upon arrival we will be met by an English speaking guide who will accompany the group to our city centre
hotel. After check-in, dinner will be served in the hotel.
Wednesday 12 September - Hungarian State Opera, St Stephen’s Basilica, Gellert Baths, Castle District
Our guided tour of Budapest begins this morning with a tour of the Hungarian State Opera House, built in the 19th century
for Emperor Franz Joseph. Of neo-Renaissance style with Baroque elements, the rich decoration emphasizes the building’s
stately purpose with an abundance of inlaid marble, silk wall hangings, pictures and frescos. During our visit we will have the
opportunity of listening to a short aria performed on the exquisite main staircase of this grand building.
We reserve the right to cancel this tour if by 16 July 2012 insufficient bookings have been received to justify its departure.
You can obtain Booking Forms and Booking Conditions from your group organiser. Please send completed booking forms and
payments (cheques payable to Norman Allen Group Travel Ltd) to the address below.
Hungarian
State Opera
House (left)
Mrs Frances Clarke, Ross DFAS,
Ash Grove, Bromsash,
Ross-on-Wye, HR9 7PL
Telephone: 01989 750509
St Stephen’s
Basilica
(right)
Wednesday 12 September (continued)
Sunday 16 September - Museum of Fine Arts, Vajdahunyad Castle
Our day continues with a visit to St Stephen’s Basilica, the most important church building in
Hungary, designed by Jozsef Hild, again in a neo-Renaissance style. Characterized by its
two large bell towers anchoring the façade, the southern tower houses Hungary’s biggest
bell weighing over 9 tonnes. There will be a break for lunch before an afternoon visit to the
Citadella, a former fortress from where we have a panoramic view of the city. Our day ends
with the castle district, including the beautiful 13th century Matthias Church, where the last
two Hapsburg Kings of Hungary were crowned. Nearby is the picturesque Fisherman’s
Bastion, a neo-Romanesque bulwark with seven towers built on a medieval wall. Situated in
the Royal Palace is the National Gallery whose outstanding collections include old
Hungarian and 19th-20th century paintings, sculptures, graphic, and contemporary
collections. This evening is free for us to make our own dining arrangements.
We begin today at the Museum of Fine Arts. The museum's permanent collection is made up
of spectacular pieces of fine art by international artists from ancient sculptors through old
masters to more modern painters and comprises more than 100,000 pieces. The collection is
made up of six departments: Egyptian Art, Classical Antiquities, Sculpture, Old Masters, Art
after 1800 and Prints & Drawings. The collection of Spanish paintings in particular is said to be
the best outside of Spain. Our final visit of the morning is to the Vajdahunyad Castle located in
the city park. Built in 1896 and then rebuilt in 1904, Vajdahunyad Castle was designed by
Ignac Alpar who reputedly modelled it on a Transylvanian castle. Our afternoon is free for
independent sightseeing and this evening we enjoy a final dinner together.
The Fisherman’s Bastion
Monday 17 September
Study of a Man, El Greco
Thursday 13 September - Godollo Royal Mansion
A morning guided tour takes us to Godollo to the Royal Mansion. Originally built in the 18th
century by nobleman, Count Antal Grassalkovich, the baroque mansion was refurbished in
the mid 19th century and given as a coronation gift to Emperor Franz Joseph and Queen
Elisabeth. The communist period saw a deterioration of the mansion and a stripping of the
original furnishings but a major renovation and refurbishment project in the mid-nineties has
restored it to its former glory. Before leaving we enjoy coffee and Hungarian cake and our
coach returns us to the Market Hall area of the city for an afternoon and evening of free time.
We highly recommend a visit to the Gellert Bath, one of the oldest of Budapest’s celebrated
thermal baths and undoubtedly an architectural and artistic masterpiece.
After checking out of our hotel we transfer by coach to Budapest Airport for the return flight to
Heathrow. On arrival we are met by our UK coach for the transfer back to our original
departure points.
Godollo Royal Mansion
Friday 14 September - Memento Statue Park, Parliament building,
Museum of Applied Art
A full day guided tour begins with Memento Statue Park, a collection of memorials and
statues, emphasising the common fate of the Eastern European countries under communist
control. The exhibition - with the monumental and shocking Boots of Stalin, gives an account
of two turning points in 20th century Hungarian history, the events surrounding the 1956
revolution and the collapse of the system in 1989-90. A sense of a deep longing for freedom
emerges from the display. By way of contrast our next tour is of the Museum of Applied Arts,
housed in a truly splendid purpose built Art Nouveau style building. Masterpieces of
European applied arts from the Middle Ages till today form the core of the collection,
arranged in the categories of object, material and craft. The permanent exhibitions include a
furniture collection, a fine metalwork collection, ceramics and glassware, textiles and
garments, as well as some minor collections, such as artistic book bindings, graphic
illustrations, "ex-libris" bookplates, leather goods, bone and wood carvings, garment
accessories and toys. The highlight of our afternoon is the Hungarian Parliament Building,
one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Partially modelled on our own Westminster House of
Parliament, it is decorated with neo-Gothic turrets and arches. Displayed in the Parliament
Building are the Crown Jewels, including the 11th century Holy Hungarian Crown. Located
just across the square is the statue of Prime Minister Imre Nagy, who was executed by the
Russians after they invaded Hungary in 1956. Our evening is free to make our own dining
arrangements.
Gellert Thermal Bath
The Danube Bend
Museum of Applied Arts
Saturday 15 September - Danube Bend, Margit Ceramic Museum, Cruise
Holy Hungarian Crown
Our guided tour today takes us north of the city to the famous Danube Bend, one of the most
beautiful sections of the river where it breaks through the Visegrad mountains in a dramatic
bend. The first stop is at Szentendre , populated in the 17th century by ethnic Serbs. Their
baroque and rococo style houses give the town a unique atmoshphere. Here we also visit
the Margit Kovacs Ceramic Museum, dedicated to the work of the famous Hungarian
ceramic artist. We continue to Visegrad, where we visit the Royal Palace. At Visegrad we
embark on a delightful short river cruise in order to admire the beautiful scenery. Lunch is
included today and this will be served in a local restaurant. Our final stop is at Esztergom
Cathedral, considered to be one of the greatest churches in the world and famous for the
Bakócz Chapel. Built by Italian masters between 1506–1507 out of red marble with walls
adorned with Tuscan Renaissance motifs, the Chapel is the most precious remaining
example of Renaissance art in Hungary. On return we have another free evening.
The Hungarian Parliament Building
Accommodation
Hotel Novotel Centrum
The 4* Hotel Novotel Centrum is located in a historic building in Secession
style, which has recently been renovated and is under architectural
protection (with a modern extension). The hotel is close to all the main
cultural and tourist attractions. The 227 air-conditioned rooms provide
modern comfort and contemporary decor. All rooms have en-suite bath or
shower and are equipped with TV, desk, safe and hairdryer. The hotel has
a restaurant, bar and fitness centre.
Tour Price per person
£ 840.00
Deposit per person
£
Single Room Supplement
£ 177.00
90.00
(The final balance is due not later than 16 July 2012)
Margit Kovacs Ceramic
Travel insurance
(payable with deposit please)
£ 34.00