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Bohemian Highlights 2024

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14 Day European Tour of Germany, Poland, Hungary, Austria and Czech Republic

14 days, 5 countries and 10 cities

Accommodation

13 Breakfasts, 7 Dinners

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A jam-packed Bohemian trip showcasing the stories of central Europe. Learn about its colorful folklore and the tragedies of war as you visit the heart of Old Town Kraków, slice through the Carpathians and see all the highlights of Prague, Budapest and Vienna.

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14 days itinerary trip from Berlin to undefined visiting 5 countries and 10 cities

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About this trip

Sightseeing highlights.

Explore Berlin, Warsaw, Kraków, Budapest, Vienna and Prague with a Local Specialist

Visit the Berlin TV Tower, Poznań, the former concentration camp at Auschwitz, St. Mary's Church and the Cloth Hall in Kraków, Győr, Tábor, St. Vitus Cathedral and the Old Town Square of Prague

View the famous Reichstag and Tiergarten in Berlin, Kraków Cathedral and Wawel Royal Castle in Kraków and the Castle District in Budapest

See Hofburg Palace and the Opera House in Vienna

Travel highlights

Specific transfer information can be found here:

Airport Transfers

An expert Travel Director and professional Driver

Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted

All porterage and restaurant gratuities

All hotel tips, charges and local taxes

Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals

Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras

Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing

Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)

Optional Experiences and free time

On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences

Every one of our tours includes at least one conscious travel experience that supports one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS). Look out for yours within the day-by-day trip itinerary.

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Net-zero by 2050

Travel knowing our 4-point climate action plan will ensure net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Support Local

Your tour directly supports local communities by visiting family-run businesses, UNESCO sites and places of cultural significance.

Sustainable Practices

Every part of our business, from trip design to how we run our offices, aligns to our 5-year sustainability strategy which ensures a positive impact on people, the planet and wildlife.

Philanthropic Efforts

Our not-for-profit, the TreadRight Foundation, invests in nature-based solutions to address climate change.

You’ll make a positive impact to people, planet and wildlife on this tour

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Tour Differently.

Dream vacations without the stress of the ‘what ifs’, is what we do. We design our tours so you can experience Hawaii differently. You’ll get the personal service, attention-to-detail and ease you’re looking for, while enjoying the unmissable icons and one-of-a-kind experiences you’ve always dreamed of. Discover why Trafalgar tours have been trusted by over 5 million guests and how we craft the very best trips to Hawaii that you’ll cherish for years to come.

Experiencing Hawaii differently isn’t just what we promise, it’s what we deliver.

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Home to more wildlife species than any other state, Hawaii is full of surprises. Watch the sunset over the West Maui Mountains. Listen to heroic stories at Pearl Harbor. Soar to new heights on a Kauai helicopter tour. Sip a smooth cup of Kona coffee. Make Hawaii your next adventure.

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Testimonials

When you choose Trafalgar, you’re joining more than 5 million happy guests who have chosen to travel the world with us. We’re proud to have received more than 80 awards, and we’re honored that more than 50% of our guests return to explore the world with us year after year. Plus, with a 4.6 stay independently reviewed satisfaction rating, we think you’ll love us too.

“Never thought I was a tour person. This experience showed me the value of joining experienced guides with inside info. Great locations for hotels, wonderful high-level tours to get a taste of Hawaii. I felt that we were offered top notch advice on off-time activities… Loved the history and inside stories from our guide. I can see myself doing this again when heading to a new area of the world.”

Hawaiian Discovery >

“We were able to relax and enjoy our trip knowing that all the arrangements were made for us. The itinerary was good, allowing us to see local highlights and having some free time as well. Most service staff was very friendly and courteous.”

Best of Hawaii >

“Our tour guide gave us the best tour of our lives. It was the little things that he did that made our trip memorable. From the pastries and coffee he got us at the bakery on Oahu to the Guri Guri in Maui, Michael was top notch. If we called him or asked any questions, he was right on top of it to make our trip the trip of a lifetime.”

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Trafalgar unlocks the best of the world for every traveller with tried and tested tours, created by local travel experts in destination. From the iconic sightseeing to breaking bread with locals at private Be My Guest experiences to essentials such as accommodations, transportation and meals taken care of, you are free to enjoy your vacation without the stress of 'what ifs'.

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SHOT ON BEST OF IRELAND • DAY 6

TRAVEL PROTECTION FOR CANADIAN RESIDENTS

Providing you with "ANY REASON" cancellation flexibility and peace of mind while you travel. Trafalgar Travel Protection - designed exclusively with the following:

THE TRAFALGAR "ANY REASON" CANCELLATION WAIVER  - Provided by Trafalgar

With the Trafalgar "Any Reason" Cancellation Waiver, Trafalgar will provide you with 100% of the cancellation charges in the form of a future travel credit certificate, should you cancel your tour more than 24 hours prior to your scheduled departure for any reason that is not eligible for cash reimbursement under the Trip Cancellation Waiver. Cancellation charges are reimbursed in the form of Trafalgar Travel Certificates allowing you a two year credit to travel with us at a later date! Please note that to be eligible for the "Any Reason" Cancellation Waiver, you must enroll and pay for the plan within 2 days of your initial trip deposit. The certificate is valid for two years, is non-transferable, non-refundable and may not be redeemed for cash. Future travel certificates do not include airfare cancellation charges for air arrangements unless those arrangements were provided by Trafalgar.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENT BENEFITS  - Provided by Trafalgar

Trip Cancellation: Up to Total Trip Cost

Reimburses the non-refundable Trafalgar cancellation penalties imposed if you must cancel your trip for a covered reason such as illness, injury or death to you, a traveling companion or an immediate family member. Other reasons for cancellation include Common Carrier-caused delays due to inclement weather, jury duty, subpoena, or a documented traffic accident en route to departure, and other reasons as cited in the Certificate.

Trip Interruption: Up to Total Trip Cost

Trip Delay: Up to C$1,000 (C$150/day)

TRAVEL INSURANCE BENEFITS

 - Underwritten by Arch Insurance Canada Ltd.

Emergency Medical and Dental Expenses: Up to C$1,000,000 *

Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation: Up to C$50,000

Baggage and Personal Effects: Up to C$2,500

Baggage Delay: Up to C$500

Accidental Death and Dismemberment

Air Common Carrier Only: Up to C$100,000

Any Other Circumstance: Up to C$25,000

Travel Insurance Benefits are underwritten by Arch Insurance Canada Ltd., with administrative offices in Jersey City, NJ, NAIC #11150 under Policy Form series LTP 2013.

WORLDWIDE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE  - Services provided by On Call International

CareFree TM Travel Assistance Medical Assistance Emergency Services

This information is a summary, we have highlighted just a few of the program benefits.

THE TRAVEL PROTECTION POLICY DETAILS

Please select your state of residence from the list below to download your full policy

Trafalgar Travel Protection is provided in addition to other applicable indemnity or insurance programs, where permitted by law and shall apply only after benefits have been paid.

* Note:  The Medical Expense benefits of this plan are subject to a maximum benefit limit of C$30,000 for those persons who at the time of a covered injury or sickness do not have valid hospital and medical insurance under a Government Health Insurance Plan of a province or territory of Canada.

To file a claim, please visit TravelClaim.com  

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Worst on line company I have ever dealt…

Worst on line company I have ever dealt with. Did not explain things, said look at your flights without explaining that I would have to be staying an extra day with NO FREE Airport shuttle. After I had paid second instalment received 4 emails requesting payment …more concerned with $ than helping. Refused to post documents, even though I ad expressly asked…do NOT book directly, use a travel agent, who will explain, print out documents and HELP:

Date of experience : April 22, 2024

Reply from Trafalgar Travel

We understand that your experience with our Reservations team may not have been as satisfactory as we strive for, and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. At Trafalgar, we want you to have as easy and convenient a journey as possible, so we offer airport transfers to and from your tour hotel on the first and last days of your itinerary for most destinations. If you arrive earlier or leave later than your scheduled itinerary dates, you can purchase your transfer from us, provided you've also bought your extra hotel night(s) through us. We appreciate your request for your travel documents to be printed and posted to your home address. Per our Treadright policy, we are constantly trying to reduce our carbon footprint. One way to do this is by providing our guests with electronic travel documents. Also, our Travel Director is responsible for handling all the travel details to ensure our guests have a stress-free vacation without worrying about the paperwork. We appreciate your trust in Trafalgar and thank you for being our guest.

Poor customer service

We have not commenced our Great European Tour to depart London on 19/5/24 and already have had poor customer service and disappointment. Our travel agent in Australia received an email stating that the hotel in London had changed. Our agent last October tried to reserve a room at The Tower Hotel but it was booked, so booked a room at Lalit within walking distance and non refundable.We now find out the new hotel, Thistle Marble is over 30mins away by taxi. The travel agent and I both requested either a shuttle or taxi to collect us but were rudely declined.

Date of experience : April 16, 2024

Thank you for sharing your review with us. We apologise that you are not satisfied with your pre-tour experience so far. We strongly recommend that you book your accommodations directly through us at Trafalgar. However, we understand that availability can be limited and may not always be possible. We understand your travel agent has attempted to secure a room at The Tower Hotel. However, if circumstances beyond our control require changes or if we can make improvements, we reserve the right to substitute hotels, as we have done in this instance. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. We are glad to hear that our Reservations team has been able to assist you with your travel requirements. We look forward to welcoming you on the tour.

Trafalgar Tours really let us down on…

Trafalgar Tours really let us down on our South American trip. Poorly spoken guides, dirty busses , a very dangerous bus ride and a very boring itinerary with very few extras on offer. The Peru portion was great but the Chille, Brazil portion was very poor and the only reason why we enjoyed Argentina was because we had been to Buenos Aires a few times. The guide in Bariloche was seagull and uninspiring. I have done many trips with Trafalgar and Insight and this one was seriously lacking. What was even more disappointing is I wrote in my review all the complaints and no one apologised or adressed the issues hence my review here.

Date of experience : November 01, 2023

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We appreciate your input and apologise for any inconvenience you may have experienced. Please provide us with your booking information so we can investigate what happened with your booking. We always strive to offer our customers the highest level of service, and our Guest Relations Department is available to assist you with any inquiries or concerns. Please don't hesitate to email our Guest Relations Department at [email protected].

so-so experience

Had a problem with the travel portion of a tour I just booked. I called immediately to cancel literally minutes after I did an online deposit and they refused to refund the deposit which was probably not even processed yet. However, I tried a different number and a nicer person who told me non-refundable, but hold I will check with my manager. The manager did authorize the refund so I did not lose the $400.00. I thought it was nice of them but it should not have been so difficult and it took me a half hour to accomplish.

Date of experience : April 01, 2024

Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We would like to remind you that our booking terms and conditions state that all deposits are non-refundable. However, we are happy to inform you that an exception was made for your booking, and the deposit refund was processed on April 2nd, 2024. Please check the last invoice you received from our Reservations Team for confirmation.

Trafalgar Splendors of Japan Tour was very dissapointing due to inexperienced tour guides

My wife and I recently returned from Trafalgar's Splendors of Japan with Hiroshima Tour and we were very dissapointed with the quality of the Tour Director, local tour guides and optional excursions/activities. The guides and tour director were extremely inexperienced, they could not elaborate or provide details on site visits, activities, meals, alternative things to do. Please consider hiring and or sub-contracting local vendors with more experience and better communication skills.

Date of experience : April 03, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. Our Travel Directors play a crucial role in ensuring our guests have a comfortable and enjoyable trip experience. We carefully select team members who are passionate about travel and service. We are sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. We have shared your feedback with our operations manager so that we can make improvements for future trips. Although this is rare, we hope you still have beautiful memories of your trip to Japan.

Gorgeous Greece

Gorgeous Greece. Moraig, our guide and Dimitri were excellent, they provided the best service- nothing was too much and the attention to detail was second to none. Brilliant tour, well organised, interesting and jam packed- awesome value for money. They were helpful, thorough, thoughtful and considerate. The local experts were phenomenal and passionate, our tour was the best of Greece and that’s definitely what we got.

Date of experience : March 01, 2024

We are delighted to receive your feedback and happy to know you had a wonderful experience. It's great to hear that you received exceptional service from our On The Road Teams, who are a valuable asset to our company. We are pleased that they provided outstanding service, enabling you to connect with the local people, contribute positively to the local ecosystem and economy, and fully immerse yourselves in the culture. We appreciate your feedback and want you to know that it has not gone unnoticed.

A decent tour with room for improvement

Overall, the tour was pretty fun, but there were some things that could have been done better in Milan. The hotel that was provided was fine, but it didn't have as many amenities as the other hotels that were part of the tour package. still, the itinerary was complete, including a lot of interesting things to see in the short amount of time that was available. The hotels were only average, but that's because they were on a tight budget. the coaches used for transportation were always clean and comfortable during the tour.,

Date of experience : October 12, 2023

Thank you for sharing your review with us. We are delighted that you had a fantastic experience with us and that our On Road Team contributed to your unique itinerary. We understand that ensuring our guests experience all the beautiful attractions in our itinerary can result in busy schedules and full days. However, we are aware that our guests would like to visit all the sites mentioned in the itinerary. Our Contracting Team puts a lot of effort into selecting the hotels we work with to ensure we offer comfortable, well-located accommodation at a great value. Nonetheless, we acknowledge that hotel standards vary from country to country. Some hotels may differ in size, character, and amenities from what our guests are accustomed to. However, we expect all our appointed hotels to meet our high standards. We have shared your comments with our Quality Control team to ensure our accommodation continues to offer our guests the best experience. Thank you for choosing to travel with Trafalgar. We appreciate your feedback.

Never again with Trafalgar Tours

We booked a Splendors of Japan Tour with Trafalgar and my husband was medically unable to go. We gave them 3 months notice and had to write 23 emails and make over 12 calls to get a partial refund. Their service is so poor and the right hand does not know anything about the left hand. We would NEVER use them again and tell all our friends how poorly they treated us. We mostly received these automatic, "no reply" emails and when you actually speak to someone, they put you on hold several times, for a lengthy hold and have nothing to offer except lip service! Terrible business, terrible service and we booked, they never shared with us they would penalize us for canceling 3 months advance!

Date of experience : January 09, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your valuable feedback. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge receipt of your concerns and express our apologies for the level of service you have received from our Contact Centre that did not meet your expectations. We would like to acknowledge the cancellation you submitted three months prior to your scheduled travel date. We understand that you are aware of our booking conditions, which stipulate the industry standard cancellation fees. We cannot investigate the conditions surrounding your booking as we need your booking information. We are committed to providing our customers with the highest level of service. As such, our Guest Relations Department would be happy to assist you with any necessary documentation required to claim your travel insurance. Once again, we would like to thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

Never will we travel with Trafalgar…

Never will we travel with Trafalgar again. Paid top price and got budget tour from Madrid to Barcelona bus tour. Very little stopping to take pictures and shown very little tourist attractions. All about going from start to finish and nothing in-between. So disappointed after travelling hard way around the world.

Date of experience : August 05, 2023

Thank you for your review. We hope you had the chance to immerse yourself in the Spanish culture during your trip and enjoyed the warmth and hospitality of the locals, the delicious cuisine and the country’s rich history, which is all unique to this beautiful country. However, we were concerned to learn that you felt certain aspects of the trip could have been improved. Exploring this beautiful country in a condensed amount of time can be quite an adventure, and we strive to include the perfect amount of time at each location for in-depth discovery; there are certain towns where we wish to stay longer. We have shared your feedback with our Operations team as we constantly strive to see where our itineraries can be improved. That said, we still hope you have taken some lasting highlights during your time away with us.

Trafalgar overcharged us for pre paid…

Trafalgar charged us for pre paid gratuities. Suggest you don’t pay these in advance to Trafalgar. We found Trafalgar asked for almost NZ$80 ( allowing for local currency exchange rate) more than the tour leader and driver expected or would have got. So far Trafalgar hasn’t responded to our request for a refund of the overpayment. Also the ‘included’ meals at local venues were very poor quality with the exception of one. Only one hotel had air conditioning. Very few USB charge points on the bus worked. However The tour itinerary and tour leader were great.

Date of experience : June 17, 2023

Traveled all night USA to Fr

Traveled all night USA to Fr, can’t wait to get to see the hotel to freshen up and do some sightseeing. When I arrive with 4 pieces of luggage, at 9am, I am told, with an attitude, check in is 2pm, so here I am sitting in the lobby with my luggage, my very, very costly vacation is already ruined, never again

Date of experience : September 24, 2023

Thank you for your review. We are sorry that during your booking process, you were not well informed that the official check-in times vary from hotel to hotel. Should your flight arrive in the early morning into the city where your trip begins, you may find yourself arriving at the hotel before noon, and it could be early afternoon before your room is ready (Two pm or Three pm). Hotels try to prevent this from happening, but check-in times cannot be guaranteed. The hotel can suggest how any spare time could be used to sightsee, relax or enjoy local restaurants while your room is being prepared. When arriving at your first hotel, check in at the main reception desk. The reception staff will need to know your name and that you are travelling with Trafalgar. When your trip begins, check-in will be managed by the Travel Director, who will advise you on procedures and hotel features before arrival. They will secure keys and oversee the delivery of your luggage to your room. Thank you for choosing Trafalgar as your travel partner, and we hope that you have an unforgettable travel experience.

Best of Italy Tour for 13 days, really 11 days. Recommendation: Do NOT take a Trafalgar Tour of any kind!

Best of Italy Tour for 13 days--actually 12 days. This was our 2nd Trafalgar tour--1st was Egypt---also terrible! 1) Could ONLY understand about 10 % of the travel director's harangue. Her name was Frederica. The same situation occurred in Egypt. 2) The bus driver named Theo was surly and rude. 3) The Travel Director constantly sold the extra excursions. These were 2.5 times more expensive then privately-made tours. Example in Rome--Crown Tours. 4) The food was terrible. 5) The hotels were at best 2-3 star. NO AC, low water pressure, and the breakfasts were poor. 6) Many hours were spent most days on the bus--4-8 hours. There were 49 passengers on this bus! You could not relax on the bus because the tour director constantly was speaking and selling optional excursions. Again, could not understand but 10 % of what she said. 7) We pre-paid gratuities, but wished that we had not done so. Neither the driver nor Travel Director thanked us. We will not prepay again, however, we will NEVER take another Trafalgar Tour.

Date of experience : October 27, 2023

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. We value your honest opinion and are sorry to hear that certain aspects of your trip did not meet your expectations. Our On The Road Team is integral to ensuring our guests have an enjoyable and comfortable experience during their travels. We carefully select team members who are passionate about travel and possess extensive knowledge of their respective regions. We are disappointed that your experience did not reflect this. Your feedback has been shared with our Operations Manager, and appropriate measures will be taken. We understand that our guests appreciate having the freedom to explore and engage with the local culture, which is why we provide a range of Optional Experiences. These experiences are designed to enhance our guests' understanding of the places we visit and are separate from the itinerary. Our Contracting Department ensures that our accommodations are of a four-star standard or higher. We apologise if the hotel standards did not meet your expectations. Similarly, we apologise for any disappointment caused by the meals provided during your trip. We appreciate that the cuisine of Italy is world-renowned, and we will investigate your feedback to ensure we offer only the best to our clients. We understand that the long coach rides may have been tiring, but we hope that the unique attractions outlined in the itinerary made up for it. Our luxury coaches can accommodate up to 52 guests, although we typically have an average of 40-48 guests. However, if additional space is required, our sister company, Insight Vacations, offers specially reconfigured coaches with only 40 seats, providing business-class legroom. A Classic Insight Vacations tour has a maximum of 40 travellers, whereas their Small Group departures have just 24. We understand that guests may have different preferences when it comes to gratuities. Therefore, we offer the option to prepay gratuities or pay during the trip. We appreciate your feedback and will use it to improve our future departures. We hope to host you again and provide an authentic Trafalgar experience.

Dont risk your money with Trafalgar

Trafalgar cancelled our tour booking without our consent because I asked about if there was availability on another tour. Never did they mention that enquiring about another tour they cancel your existing booking. Now the tour is full and I have spent $18,000 on Qantas airfares and accom. Tour booked in Jan 2023 for Sept 2023 tour. Nobody takes responsible and nobody will call me to discuss. Family of 4 holiday ruined,.

Date of experience : May 26, 2023

Wish I had read the reviews before…

Wish I had read the reviews before booking with Trafalgar - I will NEVER travel with this tour company again. In September 2023 myself and a travel companion traveled to Northern Spain. The experience for the most part was awful. Some hotels were lovely, some meals were good, wine was plentiful but other hotels and meals were terrible. Biggest complaint was the pressure and fast paced walking to keep up with the tour director. It was rush, rush, rush with little to no time to explore, take pictures, etc. There were 52 passengers on the bus and little time to use the restrooms when we stopped, get a refreshment or look around. The whole trip was exhausting and grueling and it was clear the tour director just had a schedule to keep (not his fault). I was so glad when the tour came to an end.

Date of experience : September 02, 2023

Thank you for your feedback during your time spent in Spain. We aim to provide the best travel experience for our guests, and it is only through your valuable feedback that we can continue improving the standards we are known for. Our team strives to provide the most unique and enjoyable guided vacations for all our guests, and we’re saddened to read that you feel we missed the mark in this instance. We understand that an active itinerary can be tiring and that some valuable guests prefer smaller groups. We apologise that you were not well informed regarding the group size for this trip at the time of the booking. We have designed our Trafalgar tours to accommodate up to fifty-two guests on our luxury coaches, although we average forty to forty-five guests. If smaller groups are a must and a leisure itinerary is what you prefer, our sister company, Insight Vacations, has small group departures with a maximum of twenty-four and offers some selected itineraries at a leisurely pace. That said, we still hope you have taken many lasting highlights away from your time in Spain.

DO NOT RECOMMEND!!

DO NOT RECOMMEND!!! Trafalgar cancelled my trip too Santa Fe (which is understandable and accepted as their may not have been enough people booking, or COVID or whatever). The 90-100 days quoted to get a refund for the trip the company cancelled is NOT ACCEPTABLE. It has now been six weeks and Trafalgar still has my $3300. Calls to the service center take HOURS on hold. Horrible customer service. Horrible refund policy. Definitely disappointed.

Date of experience : April 13, 2022

Best of Italy

Best of Italy, Best of my trips! This trip exceeded my expectations! The tourist guide, Romeo, was a 10! The hotels were very comfortable,(a couple of them luxurious, a couple of them excellent and a couple of them very good./ Food offered pretty good. Dinner in the Tuscany Hills unbelievable. Coach very comfortable and clean. I traveled with the "other " company before, the one starts with "G", and definitely Trafalgar was the best (My second tour with them).Hopefully I can make many more tours with them.

Date of experience : September 29, 2023

Thank you for taking the time to give us feedback during your time in Italy, and it's always great to learn our frequent travellers continue to explore the world with us. We are pleased you had the opportunity to witness the breathtaking attractions in Italy and immersed yourself in Italian culture. It pleases us to learn that our Travel Director demonstrated exceptional knowledge of the destination and provided a high level of service to ensure your enjoyable experience. Our team of Travel Directors are passionate about travel, and we are happy to know that they continually strive to provide professional and outstanding service to our valuable guests. It was great to read that our coaches met your expectations and that you travelled comfortably, as this is a crucial factor in enjoying your time on the road. That said, we hope to have the opportunity to host you again in the future; in the meantime, please know that we are committed to providing the best possible experience for our guests.

Excellent experience

I have no idea what all these reviewers are complaining about. I recently returned from a Best of Scotland tour and it was the best tour I’ve ever taken. Our tour guide was exceptional. He packed so many experiences into a day we got back to our hotels exhausted each night. Our driver was the best, too. Several people had issues, the airline lost two couples’ luggage and Trafalgar sent them shopping for anything they needed on its dime. One woman fell the day she arrived in Scotland, breaking her femur and the tour guide did everything possible to make her trip successful. Most importantly, even with all the issues, no one complained and most of us signed up for all the optional experiences because we had so much fun together.

It is unfortunate that Trafalgar can no…

It is unfortunate that Trafalgar can no longer afford to supply name tags for guests. I don't know about the rest of you readers, but I am not sure how many days it is going to take me to remember 47 people's names

Date of experience : September 19, 2023

Thank you for your feedback. We regret that there may have been a miscommunication regarding name tags on our journeys. Indeed, as marked in our literature, we are trying to eliminate single-use plastics as part of our Make Travel Matter strategy. That said, we hope you have a pleasant journey with us and make many new friendships.

Trafalgar is a money scoop

Trafalgar is a money scoop, Kiss it goodbye. The trip Guides are Phenomenal, the company is DIRT. I think they are in financial trouble. Trying to get them on the phone is impossible. Have been through Europe Rome to London, Then Portugal and Spain. Quality of Excursions are poor, and cheaply done. Hotels are outside of city centers to make you dependent on them. Most provide dinners are Minimal. The Guides where Professionals and made the trips worth it. They keep this company going....they should give up!

Date of experience : August 08, 2022

i trusted these folks

i trusted these folks, had a family emergency -took emergency custody of a 9 yr old girl from drug home- tried multiple times to cancel/reschedule trip and in the end i lost trip and ALL money, Thanks Trafalgar for turning a once in a lifetime trip into a nightmare.

Date of experience : February 11, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your review. We are glad to hear that the child is recovering well. We apologise for not meeting your expectations during your interactions and appreciate you bringing your concerns to our attention. Please email our Guest Relations Department at [email protected] with all your booking information. The team will assist you with the necessary paperwork for your travel insurance and conduct a full investigation into the booking. Thank you again for sharing your feedback.

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Suzdal in winter

Draft itinerary:

07.15 -  8.56 am - train to Vladimir from Kursky train station  09 am - meeting with a guide and the driver 09.30 - 11 am Walking through meadows or going on a horse sled (for extra fees) to see ancient Pokrova-na-Nerli Church of the 12 century located on the Nerl river among picturesque meadows. 11.30 - 13.00 Sightseeing tour of Suzdal. Visiting Suzdal Kremlin 13.00 - 14.00 Lunch in a traditional Russian house 14.00 - 15.30 Sightseeing tour of Suzdal. Visiting the museum of wooden architecture 16.00 - 16.30 Medovuha tasting A quick stop in a shop to get some snacks for the train 17.59 – 19.40 Train back to Moscow Tour cost: 7800 RUB per person  Minimum group size: 8 people Included: round trip train tickets, museum admission, transportation by mini-van in Vladimir and Suzdal and between, guide service, lunch, medovuha tasting Not included: transportation to and back from the train station in Moscow, horse sleigh ride.

Ideas for a second day

We'll be happy to offer you more options if you choose to stay over a week-end. Below are a few ideas of what you might do:

• Visit a friendly animal farm in Suzdal, play with domestic animals,  sit on a real oven and try bow and arrow shooting. You might also take a bread-making master-class  
• Take a walking tour around Vladimir and visit the Assumption cathedral, famous for Andrey Rublev frescoes  
• Paint Russian matryoshka  
• Forge your own nail at the acting smithy in Vladimir,  and learn more  about the profession of the smith

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Lubyanka: Inside the Story of Moscow’s Infamous Building and District

Published: June 15, 2021

There is always history surrounding us. In a city like Moscow, this can seem overwhelmingly apparent. Moscow has many imposing buildings from many eras – some are immediately recognizable and others only invite wonder as to what stories lay behind their beauty or grime.

Lubyanka is the name commonly used to refer to the building that has historically housed the security services of the USSR and modern Russia, from the Cheka to the KGB to the FSB. The name has also, for a much longer history, been applied to the adjacent square and surounding neighborhood.

The Lubyanka Building

by Alyssa Rider

The building now known as Lubyanka was originally several buildings.

The two largest were originally designed by Alexander Ivanov and were separated by a street. The largest of these two was built in 1898 and the smaller in 1902 by the All-Russia Insurance Company. Insurance and banking were rapidly growing and profitable industries at that time. Insurance companies would often invest their substantial cash holdings in real estate. Thus, most of the buildings were built as residential and the space was rented for profit.

Perhaps ironically, the original, much more ornate façade of the main building included two female figures representing Justice and Solace.

The buildings were seized following the 1917 revolution and became the headquarters for the secret police – the Cheka at the time, though it has served in the same role for the various iterations of the Soviet, and now Russian, state security services – from the OGPU and NKVD, the KGB, and now the FSB.

Lubyanka prison was established in 1920 inside a two story structure adjacent to the main buildings. It had originally been a hotel built, again, by the All-Russia Insurance Company. It was soon expanded to six floors. Jokes referred to it as the “tallest building in Moscow,” as one could purportedly see Siberia (and the Gulag system) from its basement, as that was the fate that awaited most that saw the inside of the prison’s walls.

In 1940, Aleksey Shchusev was commissioned to enlarge the complex to accommodate the increasing amount of staff required to handle the Great Purge. The staff had grown from 2,500 in 1928 to nearly 34,000 in 1940.

An extra floor was added, and the main building expanded horizontally, consuming and incorporating nearby buildings. This expansion was interrupted by the Nazi invasion, leaving the facade lopsided until it was completed under the orders of Yuri Andropov in the 1980s.

The building now contains FSB headquarters, a group of holding cells, the headquarters of the Border Guard Service, and two museums: one devoted to the KGB/FSB and one dedicated to the old prison (neither is actually open to the public).

The Museums Inside the Lubyanka Building

The museums offer regularly updated exhibits, both historical and modern. The Museum of the KGB, now known as the Historical Demonstration Hall of the FSB of Russia, is located inside the Lubyanka complex, and contains four rooms and over two thousand exhibits.

Exhibits cover the history of Russian and Soviet counterintelligence, and there are documents from the times of both Peter and Catherine the Great, as well as the Napoleonic War and WWI. There are separate stands with information on events relating to mass repressions, as well as a room dedicated to WWII. The museum also includes a significant amount of technical equipment that has been used for reconnaissance and counterintelligence purposes, as well as more recent documents relating to FSB operations.

The prison museum has never been open to the public and is maintained only for FSB personnel and high-ranking government officials. The “Demonstration Hall” was opened to the public in 1989. Accessing it was still difficult, as it is located inside the FSB complex and tours were offered almost exclusively through private tour companies and only after screening potential visitors. In recent years, the tours became rarer and today this museum, too, is officially closed to outside visitors.

Lubyanka: Fountain, Statue, or Abstract Nothing?

The names were not the only thing that changed. In 1835, a fountain was installed on the square. This fountain was called Nikolsky Fountain (its name borrowed from the same gates mentioned above), and was designed by the Italian sculptor Giovanni Vitali and supplied potable water to the neighborhood.

Nikolsky Fountain is one of the oldest in Moscow, and it still stands, but no longer on Lubyanka. It was moved in the 1930s to a new location in the courtyard of Alexandrinsky Palace in Neskuchny Garden, part of the Gorky Park complex in central Moscow.

In 1958, a 15-ton iron statue of Dzerzhinsky, known as “Iron Felix” was installed in its former place on Lubyanka. This statue, in turn, was toppled in a public demonstration after the fall of the Soviet Union. It was transferred by the Russian Academy of Arts to the Muzeon, also known as Fallen Monument Park, to be joined by many other Soviet statues removed or toppled at that time.

In 2017, a general renovation of Lubyanka and the surrounding traffic patterns was announced by the city. It was debated if the fountain or even Iron Felix should be brought back. In the end, however, the space was enlarged and landscaped with flat, circular geometric shapes. The space, used and undecorated, remains largely unused.

In 2021, another effort to bring back the statue was proposed by the modern Communist Party in Moscow. The mayor initially agreed to allow the issue to be voted on in a referendum, but soon reversed his decision and killed the initiative.

The Solovetsky Stone

The Solovetsky Stone is a monument located across the street from Lubyanka Square in a separated area known as Musuem Park. It was created in commemoration of the political prisoners who were repressed under the GULAG system.

The Solovetsky Stone is a large granite block brought from the Solovetsky Islands, where the Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp operated in the 1920s and 1930s as part of the GULAG system. It was officially opened on October 30, 1990.

Founding such a memorial had become a matter of public discussion a few years earlier, in the late 1980s. The Memorial Society, now a globally-respected NGO, began a petition with the goal of creating a monument of political repression in 1987, and in 1988, a Public Council for the creation of such a monument was formed. A contest was also held in 1988, wherein people could submit their monument ideas and suggest locations, but a winner for this contest was never chosen.

The specific stone idea came from a memorial created in the village of Solovetsky in 1989 by former Solovetsky prisoners, many of whom stayed there after their release, and members of the Memorial Society. Members of the Society from Arkhangelsk, St. Petersburg, and Moscow liked the idea so much that they acquired boulders to place in their own cities.

The opening of the Moscow memorial on served as a triumph not only in its own right, but also marked the first official recognition of the Day of Victims of Political Repression since that day began to be recognized by dissidents in 1974. Every year on this day, people now gather near the Solovetsky Stone to mourn. Since 2007, a practice called the ‘Return of Names’ has taken place on the 29th from 10 AM to 10 PM – people from across the city gather in a long line to take turns reading the names of Muscovites who were executed. Similar actions take place in many other cities and even other countries, on this day or the next.

The Solovetsky Stone has also become an unofficial site for civil protest, serving not only as a memorial but as a symbol for modern-day political dissonance.

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About the authors

Katheryn Weaver

Katheryn Weaver is a student of rhetoric and history at the University of Texas, Austin. Her primary areas of investigation include revolution and the rhetorical justification of violence against individuals, state, and society. She is currently studying Russian as a Second Language with SRAS's Home and Abroad Scholarship.

Program attended: Home and Abroad Scholar

View all posts by: Katheryn Weaver

Alyssa Rider

Alyssa Rider, at the time she wrote from this site, was a rising senior at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, majoring in Russian Studies and International/Global Studies with a minor in History. She planned to study abroad in Dublin, Ireland, in the fall, to study Russian, as well as a few other things. While she first became interested in Russia because of the language, she also developed an interest in LGBTQ rights in Russia. She also hoped to work as a translator.

Program attended: Online Interships

View all posts by: Alyssa Rider

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Moscow’s new suburban rail lines dramatically improve commutes!

The first two of the five lines of the MCD were launched November 21: the MCD1 line goes to Odintsovo (west) and Lobnya (north), while MCD2 to Podolsk (south) and Nakhabino (west). These towns are some 20-30 km from Moscow, and are inhabited by hundreds of thousands of people traveling to Moscow on business each day.

Vladimir Putin at the opening of the MCD.

Both lines cross over with central Moscow stations, as well as those on the outskirts. You can change over to the Moscow Central Circle or the metro (there is a total of 27 stations where you can make the switch). These changes allow for getting to and from the city center much faster and more conveniently than commuter trains.

Why does Moscow need the MCD?

The MCD will add to the function of the commuter trains, easing part of the daily burden experienced by those lines, as well as reduce car traffic in and out of town. The MCD runs every 5-10 minutes with only a four-hour break at night. The reason the new trains are referred to as Diameters is that they travel not just to Moscow’s main intercity stations, but also from one city on the outskirts of Moscow all the way to another one situated at the other end. 

The service runs similar to an ordinary Metro, from 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Directions are available in English, so you won’t get lost.

One important change you must remember is the Aeroexpress trains to Sheremetyevo airport now run differently than before: now one ride from the Belorussky railway to Sheremetyevo will take 50 minutes - instead of the usual 35. Also, on the way from the airport, Belorussky railway will no longer be the final stop - Odintsovo will. But there will also be a few new stations that cross over with the regular metro - in the Moscow City district, on Begovaya, Fili and Kuntsevskaya. All of these interlink with the regular metro.

New internet-capable trains

The MCD trains - in accordance with the Russian custom with giving names of birds to every new train route - will carry the name Ivolga (Russian word for “Eurasian golden oriole”). The carriages are outfitted with bike racks, luggage and stroller compartments, power sockets and USB chargers with every seat, as well as free Wi-Fi - as is the case with all of Moscow’s urban transport. 

39 trains are currently operational.

Free transfers!

Prior to the MCD appearing, passengers wanting to switch between city and suburban trains had to buy separate tickets. The MCD greatly simplifies the process: now you simply need to use your Troika card at the MCD ticket stalls. There are two tariffs - city (38 rubles, or $0.6) and regional (45 rubles, $0.8; meaning cities just on the outskirts of Moscow - not the entire region). If you need to go further afield into the Moscow region, beyond the MCD, then your Troika card will be charged an additional $0.35 (23 rubles) to transfer to the ‘elektrichka’ (electrical commuter trains). 

Switching between MCD and metro trains is free for a 90-minute window, irrespective of the tariff. However, if you don’t check out of the station at the exit stalls, your Troika card will be blocked, and require around $2.30 (150 rubles) to unlock. 

You can also pay via Apple Pay, Google Pay, Mastercard PayPass and Visa PayPass. 

Will there be other ‘diameters’?

Several more MCD are slated to launch before 2025 - the MCD3 (from Ramenskoye to Zelenograd), MCD4 (Zheleznodorozhny to Aprelevka) and MCD5 (from Domodedovo to Pushkino). Right now, the passenger load of the first two Diameters is estimated at 900,000 per day. All five Diameters will serve more than 330 million Moscow passengers every year. 

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