Insight Vacations has a good record with our readers, and the price is right, averaging out at about $100 per person per day for many of their land-only tours that include first-class hotel accommodations, guided tours, air-conditioned bus, transfers, service charges and taxes.
Two intriguing tours that I like this summer and fall are the "Alpine Splendors" 12-day tour and the 10-Day "Bohemian" tour.
The Alpine program starts at $1,170 per person, based on double occupancy, which works out to $97.50 a day, without airfare. With airfare, the cost goes up to $1,980 per person in August, departing out of New York (though other gateways are available). That price then drops to $1,765 for the remaining departure dates in September and October. You visit most cities on the itinerary for two full nights, with extra time built in to explore on your own (or shop!).
The itinerary begins and ends in Zurich, Switzerland's financial powerhouse, where the Rhine Falls and Fraumunster Cathedral should entrance you. You then go on to Lindau in southern Germany, Innsbruck in Austria, Salzburg (where I hope you'll visit Mozart's birthplace and ignore the somewhat weird "Sound of Music" sites) proceeding next to Vienna for its glorious treasures. After that, you pass through the Dolomites of Italy, including the former Olympic venue, Cortina d'Ampezzo, and then head back to Switzerland for a stop in snooty St. Moritz. Your last stop is Lucerne, where you go up the cogwheel railway on Mount Pilatus for a great view of the Alps. This program takes place weekly from now through October 23, 2002. For complete details, go to www.inusa.insightvacations.com/reg_euro_02/i927a.html.
The Bohemian Tour should be fun, starting and ending in Vienna, traveling through Budapest, Bratislava and Prague. After time in Austria's capital (be sure to see the crown jewels in the treasury building--simply breathtaking!), you journey to Budapest, where there are plenty of sights to see (don't miss the Church of St. Matthias). Be sure to enjoy Hungarian food (don't hold back on that paprika, either!). You sail up the Danube a bit to Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, visiting the Old Town here, one of the forgotten beauties of Central Europe. Finally, you enter Prague, the city of a thousand spires, where you'll spend the day touring the castle side of the Moldava then cross over the Charles Bridge to enter charming Stare Mesto. Prices for land-only start at $970 per person, based on double occupancy. That works out to less than $100 a day, $97, to be exact. Add roundtrip air for August and the total comes to $1,815 and then drops to $1,615 for September and October. This tour departs on Wednesdays and Fridays from now through October 25, 2002. For complete details please visit www.inusa.insightvacations.com/reg_euro_02/i957a.html
For reservations, contact your local travel agent, and for more information, log on to www.inusa.insightvacations.com where you can research a range of package tour options.
For information on any of the destinations, just click on their name at the top of this page.
