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Extending an escape to Eastern Europe

City breaks in Eastern Europe are a popular and often affordable option for UK travellers. Dave Richardson highlights ways to extend or add variety to a stay with side-trips to add on or include in the package.

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Entice clients to stay longer in Eastern Europe with our round-up of side trips that delve beyond the city centres

The palatial architecture of St Petersburg, the river-hewn banks of Budapest and the walled city of Dubrovnik are all key draws for tourists in Eastern Europe but beyond the city centres there are myriad attractions to entice your clients to linger longer and experience even more during their visit. Here is a round up of side trips to recommend and sell to your customers.

 

Prague

Prague

The city: Long established as the region’s top city break destination, the Czech capital’s appeal is based on Old Town Square, surrounded by medieval streets and ancient buildings. Bustling Charles Bridge leads to Prague Castle and the city livens up at night with a great choice of bars and restaurants.


The excursion: The spa towns of Bohemia are well worth seeing, especially Karlovy Vary. Annabel Cove, head of trade sales and marketing for DoSomethingDifferent.com, says: “Just two hours from the city, it’s the perfect place to detox and refresh before the flight home.

 

With natural hot springs at temperatures up to 72C, you’ll get the chance to sample mineral waters and enjoy lunch in a traditional restaurant.”


Book it: The trip costs £55pp. dosomethingdifferent.com

Budapest

Budapest

The city: The Hungarian capital is one of the most scenic in Europe, with medieval Buda on one bank of the Danube and more modern Pest on the other. Castle Hill and river cruises are the main attractions and thermal spas can be found in the centre.

The excursion: Most parts of Hungary are accessible on day trips, and options include Lake Balaton and the Puszta, where horsemanship and Gypsy culture are based.

 

But top pick is the Danube Bend, a scenic tour (returning to Budapest by boat in summer) which includes Visegrad, a former royal palace; Esztergom, Hungary’s religious capital; and the artists’ village of Szentendre.

Book it: Attraction World offers a full-day tour for £61pp. attractionworld.com

Belgrade

Belgrade

The city: The Serbian capital is currently enjoying a renaissance, with a new waterfront area and reopened Royal Palace adding to its appeal based on Danube cruises, the Bohemian Quarter and Kalemagden fortress.

The excursion: Day trips operate to Novi Sad, the artistic capital, designated European City of Culture for 2021. It stages Exit – claimed to be Europe’s second-largest music festival after Glastonbury (July 5-9 this year) – and is close to Fruska Gora National Park.

David McGuiness, director of Travel the Unknown, says: “Serbia is increasing in popularity [because of] its diverse attractions and culture and the fact that it represents great value for money being outside of the Eurozone.”

Book it: A four-day break to Belgrade including a sightseeing tour and a day trip to Novi Sad costs from £645pp. traveltheunknown.com

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

The city: A medieval walled city as well as a modern Adriatic resort, Dubrovnik is near the southern end of Croatia’s long coastline and one of the best places for excursions in the Balkans.

The excursion: You can take trips to nearby islands and into the mountains, and visit two independent countries which – like Croatia – were once part of Yugoslavia: Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro.

Chris Rand, sales and marketing manager of Balkan Holidays, says: “Mostar is well worth visiting as it’s in Bosnia-Herzegovina and includes the medieval Bridge of Peace that was rebuilt after being destroyed in the Yugoslavian wars.

“Another tour crosses into Montenegro through the Bay of Kotor, then on to Njegusi village and the beautiful resort of Budva.”

Book it: The Mostar tour costs €55pp and Montenegro €52pp, with a three-night package to Dubrovnik from £270. balkanholidays.co.uk/agents

St Petersburg

St Petersburg

The city: It may not be Russia’s capital, but St Petersburg is far more attractive than Moscow and is the tsars’ capital. The Hermitage is one of the world’s leading art museums and this alone makes a visit worthwhile.

The excursion: Patrick Millar, marketing manager at Kirker Holidays, says: “St Petersburg was the seat of the Romanov dynasty until its downfall in the events of 100 years ago, and visitors can venture outside the city to the summer palaces of the tsars at Pushkin, Pavlovsk and Peterhof.


They are a highlight of any visit to St Petersburg and during the summer their gardens have spectacular fountain displays.”

Book it: A three-night package starts from £1,098pp and private excursions with a guide include the Palaces of Pushkin and Pavlovsk (from £185pp) and the Palace of Peterhof (from £178pp). kirkerholidays.com

Tallinn

Tallinn

The city: The Baltic capitals of Tallinn (Estonia) and Riga (Latvia) are popular with all ages, especially culture-loving couples and those on stag or hen weekends attracted by the many activities on offer.

The excursion: Tallinn’s old town is one of the best preserved in Europe, and the countryside is nearby.

 

“Escape Tallinn for a day with a local guide to visit Lahemaa – Estonia’s largest and oldest national park,” suggests Osprey Holidays product manager, Nathalie Cornish.

 

“Discover sand-covered shorelines, a beautiful ‘bog’ and historical Soviet ruins that gives insight into Estonia that visitors don’t get in the heart of the city.”

Book it: A two-night package costs from £310pp, and the day trip £65pp. One of Osprey’s options from Riga is an off-road safari for £195pp. ospreyholidays.com

Krakow

Krakow

The city: The former capital is not only the most historic and interesting city in Poland but also the best base for excursions. Unlike Warsaw, Krakow was not badly damaged in the Second World War and its main square, with medieval Cloth Hall, is the largest in Europe.

The excursion: Close by is the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, a very sombre but essential place to visit to understand the war and its consequences. You can go there independently (entrance is free but you pay for optional guide or headphone rental) or as part of a sightseeing tour, which may also include Wieliczka Salt Mine.

 

The Tatras mountains and resort town of Zakopane are an alternative too. Annabel Cove of DoSomethingDifferent.com says: “A two-hour drive from the city, the area is rich in highland cultural heritage and architecture, framed by mountains.”

Book it: DoSomethingDifferent.com has the Tatras tour for £64pp and Auschwitz for £30pp. dosomethingdifferent.com

Kiev

Kiev

The city: For a real left-field suggestion, how about one of Europe’s least-known capitals with a trip to one of the most infamous places on earth? The Ukrainian city boasts golden-domed cathedrals, Unesco World Heritage sites, Soviet-inspired architecture and cobbled streets with cosmopolitan galleries and restaurants.

The excursion: Seventy miles away is Chernobyl, where a tour visits abandoned homes, shops, schools and hotels in the town of Pripyat.

“Chernobyl is forever synonymous with the nuclear disaster that rocked the Soviet Union and the world in 1986,” explains Regent Holidays general manager, Andrea Godfrey.

 

“To this day, an 18-mile exclusion zone circles the area and the disaster is still very real for people affected.”

 

Book it: A three-night package to Kiev costs from £325pp, and the trip to Chernobyl £145pp. regent-holidays.co.uk

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