Kirbys Coaches (Rayleigh) Ltd | Tel: 01268 777777

Prague, Dresden & the Castles of Bohemia

Fully Escorted by Karen Kirby! New for 2024!

Discover the many hidden treasures of Bohemia within this exclusive itinerary onboard one of Croisi Europe’s premium ships. Visit top destinations set in idyllic landscapes along the Elbe and Vltava Rivers. We’ll visit Prague and Dresden, authentic cities that exude charm and boast a rich cultural and architectural history. The castles of Bohemia, symbols of the nobility and aristocracy, house many surprising works of art.

Day 1

UK TO RUDESHEIM AM RHEIN
Depart home area and travel to Dover for our ferry crossing to France. We continue through France, Belgium and into Germany making suitable comfort stops. We arrive at our overnight hotel early evening with time to refresh up before our evening meal.

Day 2

RUDESHEIM AM RHEIN TO PRAGUE
After breakfast we continue our journey through Germany and into the Czech Republic, we arrive at our ship in Prague late afternoon. Time to unpack and settle into our cabins before our welcome cocktail party where we will be introduced to the crew, followed by our evening meal.

B, D

Day 3

PRAGUE TO STECHOVICE
We’ll spend the morning cruising the Vltava to Stechovice. Nestled in peaceful surroundings, the Vltava River reveals its bucolic landscapes and natural beauty. Once known for its gold mines, Stechovice is now famous for its traditional handmade pottery. This afternoon, we visit Konopiste Castle, located in an idyllic setting, this 13th-century fortress, entirely renovated in the 18th century, was the Habsburg’s hunting lodge. In addition to its sumptuously decorated apartments, the castle is home to an impressive collection of medieval weapons and armour that once belonged to Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. The castle was his last abode prior to his assassination in Sarajevo in 1914. Enjoy an evening of entertainment on board tonight after dinner.

B, L, D

Day 4

STECHOVICE TO SLAPY TO PRAGUE
We cruise on the beautiful Vltava River to the Slapy Dam, following the winding river lined with hillsides and catch glimpses of castles in romantic, restful landscapes so typical of central Bohemia. The Slapy Reservoir is a popular vacation spot for residents of Prague, offering water sports and numerous recreational activities. We’ll return to Prague later this afternoon. Time to relax before our evening meal followed by entertainment.

B, L, D

Day 5

PRAGUE
Join us for a tour of the Old Town (Stare Mesto) of Prague this morning, dating back more than 1,000 years, one of the most important places in Bohemian history. As you stroll through the city’s narrow streets, you’ll discover many points of interest, including the Jewish quarter, the old town hall and its famous astronomical clock, the Gothic church of Our Lady before Tyn, and the Charles Bridge. We’ll enjoy lunch on board our ship. This afternoon enjoy a guided tour of the Prague Castle district: Palaces, churches, and convents stand harmoniously in the vicinity of the castle, sitting high on a hill watching over the city. We’ll discover St. Vitus Cathedral, the largest and most important church in the country and one of the most prestigious Gothic cathedrals in Europe; the Old Royal Palace; and the Golden Lane, named after the goldsmiths that thrived there during the 17th century. Enjoy an evening of traditional entertainment on board after dinner.

B, L, D

Day 6

PRAGUE TO MELNIK
We’ll spend the morning cruising to Melnik, at the confluence of the Elbe. Enjoy lunch on board. This afternoon we visit one of the most beautiful Renaissance castles in Bohemia that was home
to 23 different Bohemian queens and princesses. The castle walls are elaborately adorned with Italian style stucco and wall paintings depicting scenes from the Old Testament and Greek mythology. It is also home to a rich, private collection of furniture and paintings—including works by Rubens, Velazquez, and many others all belonging to the Lobkowicz family, the oldest and most
eminent Bohemian noble family. Our tour ends with a tasting of a selection of wines from the castle’s vineyard. Afterwards we enjoy a tour of the birth house of Antonin Dvorák, the famous Czech
composer. During our visit we’ll discover the life and works of one of the greatest composers of the 19th century, Dvorák composed the famous New World Symphony. We return to our ship for our evening meal.

B, L, D

Day 7

MELNIK TO PRAGUE INCL. DRESDEN
After breakfast we have a full day excursion to Dresden, a fantastic city known as the "Florence of the Elbe". Dresden became the capital of the Margravate of Meissen in the 13th century and the seat of the Dukes of Saxony in the 15th century. Dresden offers a wide variety of attractions, including magnificent promenades on the bank of the Elbe, fascinating museums, monuments, and charming details. We’ll have lunch in a local restaurant. This afternoon we have a guided tour of the Royal Palace, the former residence of the Saxon Dukes and Electors and the Kings of Saxony. Revel in the splendour of its architecture and its collections, including the historic Green Vault, which contains the largest collection of treasures in Europe. After our excursion, we’ll return to Prague by coach to meet our ship. Tonight is our Gala evening.

B, L, D

Day 8

PRAGUE TO RUDESHEIM AM RHEIN
After breakfast we retrace our outward journey, making suitable comfort stops and arrive at our overnight hotel with time to relax before our evening meal.

B, D

Day 9

RUDESHEIM AM RHEIN TO UK
After breakfast we make our way to Calais for our return ferry home, making suitable comfort stops.

B=Breakfast Included, L=Lunch Included, D=Dinner Included

MS ELBE PRINCESSE II

The MS Elbe Princesse II is a 2 deck ship, Croisi Europe’s third paddle riverboat and part of Croisi Europe’s premium fleet. The interior is decorated in natural tones, reminiscent of the abundant nature along the riverbanks. The main deck cabins have large windows, and the upper deck cabins feature a French balcony with sliding-glass doors. All meals during the cruise are served in the restaurant on the main deck, which can be accessed directly from the lounge and bar. The restaurant is surrounded by panoramic windows that give fantastic views of the scenery as it flows by. The lounge and bar on the stern of the upper deck is where cocktails, games, dancing, and other fun filled evenings take place. The lounge has outdoor access so you can have a drink while enjoying the feel of the open air. The sun deck, with chairs and sun loungers, is the best place on the ship for an unobstructed view of the sites.

PRICE INCLUDES

• Return ferry crossing

• Outward & return overnight half board accommodation at the Hotel Felsenkeller, Rüdesheim ***

• 6 nights full board accommodation on the MS Elbe Princesse II

• Unlimited complimentary on-board beverages, including beer, fine wines, spirits, bottled mineral water, soft drinks, speciality coffees and tea from 12noon to midnight

• Captains welcome cocktail reception

• Gala evening with 4 course dinner

• Free Wi-Fi in lounge and bar onboard MS Elbe Princesse II

• All excursions as described

• Entrance to Konopiste Castle, Nalahozeves Castle and the Dvorák house

• Fully escorted by Karen Kirby

(Please Note: Lunch is not included on Days 1, 2, 8 & 9)

Passports are required

Cruise itineraries & couriers are subject to change. Single Room Supplements are subject to change. A deposit of £250 per person applies. This cruise is promoted by Success Tours and cannot be booked via a Travel Agent.

TRAVEL OPTIONS

Upgrade your room (subject to availability). Supplements apply, call 01268 777 777, option 1

Please find below our pick up points (not all pick up points will be available on all departure dates). View the pick-up point you require, then you’ll see a list of dates which are/aren’t available from your pick up point.

Name	Address	Times
Barking	Station Parade, IG11 8TU	Failed View
Barkingside	Fullwell Cross, Bus Stop A - IG6 2EA	Failed View
Basildon	Cherrydown East Bus Stop, SS16 5GT, Basildon	Failed View
Brentwood	Brentwood, Outside The Dairyman	Failed View
Chalkwell Park	Chalkwell Park Bus Stop, London Road	Failed View
Chelmsford Victoria Road	Victoria Road CM1 1JR	Failed View
Collier Row	White Hart Lane - Bus Stop out Tythe Court RM7 8LZ	Failed View
Corringham Town Centre	Gordon Road, Bus Stop near Grover Walk SS17 7EY	Failed View
Cranham	Front Lane/Moor Lane Junction Bus Stop RM14 1XJ Outside Restaurant Opp. Car Park	Failed View
Dagenham	Church Elm Lane, Bus Stop L - RM10 9QS	Failed View
Depot	Depot, Princess Road, Rayleigh	Failed View
Galloway Pickup	Pickup tba for Galloway	Failed View
Hadleigh Church	Hadleigh Church, Bus Layby	Failed View
Harold Wood	Bus Stop A, Gubbins Lane, RM3 0DR	Failed View
Hockley Spa	Hockley Spa, Bus Stop outside the Library	Failed View
Holiday Inn, Brentwood	Holiday Inn Brentwood	Failed View
Hornchurch.	Hornchurch Town Centre, outside Sutton Arms	Failed View
Hutton	Hutton, Bus Stop just past the Chequers Pub	Failed View
Ilford	Ilford, Bus Stop outside 6 Clements Road, IG1 1BA	Failed View
Kavanaghs Rd	Kavanaghs Road/London Road, Brentwood	Failed View
Palace Theatre	Palace Theatre Bus Stop	Failed View
Pitsea	Outside what was Gala Bingo Hall, Pitsea	Failed View
Queensway	Queensway Bus Stop (Behind the Odeon Cinema)	Failed View
Rayleigh Stn	Rayleigh Railway Station	Failed View
Romford	St Edwards Way - Bus Stop H - RM1 3DQ Out: Romford Shopping Hall	Failed View
Sadlers Farm	Bus Stop on A13, just before Sadlers Farm roundabout, nr Romsey Road	Failed View
Shenfield Stn	Shenfield Station, outside what was Barclays Bank	Failed View
Shepherd & Dog Crays Hill	Shepherd & Dog, Crays Hill	Failed View
Shotgate	Shotgate Post Office	Failed View
South Green	Grange Parade Bus Stop, South Green, Billericay	Failed View
Stanford Rookery Corner	Rookery Corner Stanford	Failed View
Sun Corner	Sun Corner London Road - Billericay	Failed View
Thames Drive	Thames Drive Bus Stop	Failed View
The Elms	Bus Stop outside Elms Public House, Leigh on Sea	Failed View
The Oak Grays	The Oak Public House, Lodge Lane, Grays	Failed View
Thorpe Bay Stn	Thorpe Bay Station, Acacia Drive (opp Station)	Failed View
Thurrock Services,	Thurrock Services Coach Park, RM16 3BG	Failed View
Upminster	Bus Stop M, St Mary's Lane- Upminster Outside St.Laurence Church RM14 2QJ	Failed View
Vic Hse Cnr, Rayleigh Rd	Vic House Corner, (Rayleigh Road)	Failed View
Websters Way	Websters Way, Rayleigh	Failed View
White Horse	White Horse,Southchurch Road, Southend	Failed View
Whittinghams Grg	Whittinghams Garage, opp Rochford Railway Station	Failed View
Wickford	Halls Corner, opposite Police Station, Wickford	Failed View
Woodford Green	Snakes Lane East, Bus Stop R - IG8 7HU	Failed View