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| VANTAGE DELUXE WORLD TRAVEL |
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| Optional Tours |
| Eastern Europe & the Black Sea |
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LEARN more… EXPLORE more… DREAM more…
Enrich your vacation with Vantage’s collection of deluxe optional tours,
designed exclusively for our guests
Add a unique dimension to your trip with Vantage’s optional tours. You’ll discover a world beyond the landmarks and gain immeasurable insight into the culture and people of your destination. Here’s why our guests love our optional tours:
- It’s easy! Just reserve online. And during your trip, enjoy convenient door-to-door service and the expert, local knowledge of an English-speaking guide.
- An invaluable experience at an unmatched value. With unique features and competitive pricing, you could never duplicate Vantage’s exclusive optional tours on your own.
- Excellence is our #1 priority. Our local travel planners constantly monitor the quality and pace of our tours. From coaches to guides, we always have your interests and comfort in mind.
Best of all, we take care of all the details for you. Once you’ve reserved your vacation, just visit My Account to purchase your optional tour, lock in your price, and receive immediate confirmation. Then rest easy knowing that your trip is fully planned!
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Jewish Heritage Tour (2008)
Budapest, Hungary
Afternoon tour
Jewish cultural and religious heritage in Budapest represents one of the largest Jewish population's history in Europe. Around 90,000 Jewish practice an active life and culture in Budapest. Today you will visit Dohány Synagogue which was built in the Romantic style between 1854 and 1859 after the plans of Ludwig Förster. At the time, the Jewish community of this area of Pest numbered abut 30,000. Dohány Synagogue has a rich but tragic history. In March 1944, Adolf Eichmann arrived in Budapest with the occupying Nazi forces to supervise the establishment of the Jewish ghetto and the subsequent deportations. Up to 20,000 Jews took refuge inside the synagogue complex, but 7,000 did not survive the bleak winter of 1944-45. These victims are buried in the courtyard, where you can also see a piece of the original brick ghetto wall.
Approximate Time: 3 hours
Cost: $49 USD per person
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Ride on Tito's Blue Train
Belgrade, Servia
Afternoon Tour
When Joseph Broz Tito became president of Yugoslavia, he had a special train constructed for his exclusive state use. Known in Serbian as the Plavi Voz, or Blue Train, this rolling presidential palace provided the charismatic Tito with a way to conduct meetings, carry on state business, and host visiting dignitaries while traveling among the member states of the Yugoslav federation and elsewhere within Europe. Over the years he traveled some 350,000 miles on the Blue Train, visiting France, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece. The train, which has interiors of mahogany, pear, and walnut, was refurbished in 1972 when Queen Elizabeth II came aboard to travel through Yugoslavia. Your ride on this piece of political and railroading history begins when you board the train just a few yards from your ship in Belgrade, and continues through the city to a small station in the countryside where Tito had a private waiting room. Here, you’ll have time to stroll and photograph the train as we enjoy light refreshments and a performance by local musicians, before the return trip to your ship.
Approximate Time: 2.5 hours
Cost: $89 USD per person
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Transylvania Highlights Tour
(Bucharest Extension only)
Full day tour including lunch
Discover Transylvania's fairytale village of Sighisoara and the birthplace of Vlad Tepes (better known as Dracula) that has become a favorite location of Romania's travellers and Dracula fans. On this full day tour from Brasov your guide will take you to the birthplace town of Vlad "Dracula" Tepes. Founded by Transylvanian Saxons during the 12th century, Sighisoara still stands as one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. Designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, this perfectly intact 16th century gem with nine towers, cobbled streets, burgher houses and ornate churches rivals the historic streets of Old Prague or Vienna for atmospheric magic. It is also the birthplace of Vlad Dracula, also known as Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), ruler of the province of Walachia from 1456 to 1462. It was he who inspired Bram Stoker’s fictional creation, Count Dracula. Among the most striking is the 14th century Clock Tower. Passing under the 64M clock tower, you will be mesmerized by the medieval architecture and buildings well preserved and still in use. You will then enjoy a nice lunch in a local restaurant with then free time on your own before returning back to your hotel.The Sighisoara Citadel is the old historic center of the town of Sighisoara (Hungarian: Segesvar, German: Schaessburg), Romania, built in the 12th century by Saxon colonists. It is the last inhabited medieval citadel in Europe and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, for its 850 year old testimony to the history and culture of the Transylvanian Saxons.
Approximate Time: 8 hours
Cost: $79 USD per person
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Samobor Excursion
(Zagreb Extension Only)
Evening Tour
Includes Dinner
Your tour will begin with a drive to Samobor with is a city in Zagreb country. It is located to the west of Zagreb, between the eastern slopes of Samoborsko gorje, in the Sava river valley. Samobor has existed as a free royal town since 1242 according to a document of endowment by King Bela IV. Its history and culture are rich and various. It is one of the earliest tourist resorts in the region, with the first tourist facilities dating back to 1810, oriented towards anglers, hunters, and hikers. The town's beautiful surroundings and vicinity to the capital have been supporting this tourist tradition to the present day. One of the chief industries in Samobor is crystal cutting. Some of the best crystal in Europe comes from Samobor and is highly prized all over the world. You will visit a small family business and see the production of crystal glass. Your walking tour will then take you to a wine maker, where you will sample the Apertitif Wine and the Mustard of the region. After some free time in the town center, you will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant before returning to Zagreb.
Approximate Time: 5 hours
Cost: $89 USD
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Plitvice Lakes National Park
(Zagreb Extension Only)
Full Day Tour, Includes Lunch
Lying between steeply forested mountains, Plitvice Lakes National Park encompasses a chain of 16 lakes of an amazing blue-green color connected by cascades and waterfalls. It's one of the most beautiful places in Europe, and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 for the unusual limestone formations that created this enchanting landscape. Join us for this optional tour and you'll ride by motor coach to the park. After you arrive, enjoy a short film about geologic forces that created the lakes, followed by a scenic walk along the carefully tended walkways to view the lakes and falls. You'll also go on a short boat ride across one of the lakes, followed by an included lunch in a local restaurant.
Approximate Time: 9.5 hours
Cost: $139 USD
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Note: Please be aware that not all optional
tours may operate on each departure and space may be limited. We
recommend that you purchase tours prior to your departure. Prices are
per person and subject to change. The deadline to sign up is 30 days
prior to departure. If pricing is not listed for a particular tour, it
is not yet available. Booked passengers will be notified when pricing
is available. In some cases, a minimum number of passengers will be
required for the tour to operate. Tour information is subject to change.
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