D1 8MAY JAKARTA TASHKENT
Hari ini kita akan memulai petualangan seru ke Eropa Timur dengan terlebih dahulu menjelajah kota Tashkent, Uzbekistan yang indah dengan keindahan arsitektur klasiknya, kelezatan kuliner lokalnya, dan kehangatan budayanya.
D2 9MAY TASHKENT
Setelah sarapan, petualangan dimulai dengan kunjungan ke Independence Square dan Amir Timur Square, dimana kita tidak hanya menyaksikan keindahan arsitektur, tetapi juga merasakan keajaiban sejarah Uzbekistan. Perjalanan berlanjut menuju Khast Imam Complex dan Tashkent Tower sebelum melihat proses pembuatan kuliner lokal Plov, hidangan tradisional Uzbekistan yang lezat, yang dilanjutkan dengan makan siang di tempat yang sama.
Explorasi kota ini dilanjutkan dengan ke Afrosiyob Street, Holy Assumption Cathedral, Khoja Akhrar Vali Juma Mosque, dan kemegahan Tashkent Underground yang membawa kita ke dalam dunia seni Uzbekistan masa lalu yang menakjubkan, sebelum Kita menutup kunjungan di Tashkent dengan ke Chorsu Bazaar dan makan malam yang super lezat.
D3 10MAY TASHKENT – MUNICH – HALLSTAT – LJUBLJANA
Dini hari kita akan berangkat ke Airport untuk melanjutkan penerbangan ke Munich, pintu gerbang Eropa Timur, untuk langsung menuju Hallstatt, salah satu desa paling memukau di Austria, yang menampilkan danau yang indah dan latar belakang pemandangan pegunungan yang menakjubkan dan dilanjutkan dengan perjalanan menuju Ljubljana, ibu kota Slovenia.
D4 11MAY LJUBJLANA – ZAGREB
Setelah sarapan, kita memulai petualangan di Ljubljana dengan dimulai mengunjungi Dragon Bridge, yang terkenal dengan patung naga yang mengagumkan. Kemudian, kita menuju Ljubljana Castle (tidak termasuk kereta gantung), sebuah kastil megah yang memberikan pemandangan spektakuler ke kota, dan menjelajahi Old Town Ljubljana, dengan arsitektur klasik dan atmosfer yang menawan. Setelah itu, kita menuju Danau Bled, di mana kita dapat memilih untuk mengikuti tur perahu ke gereja di tengah danau yang indah.
Setelah selesai menjelajahi Ljubljana, kita melanjutkan perjalanan menuju Zagreb, ibu kota Kroasia.
Tiba di Zagreb, kita akan memulai petualangan dengan mengunjungi St. Mark’s Church, sebuah gereja yang memikat dengan atap berwarna-warni dan mozaik yang menggambarkan sejarah kota. Ini adalah pesona arsitektural yang tak terlupakan. Dilanjutkan dengan Lotrscak Tower, sebuah menara yang menawarkan pemandangan indah ke seluruh kota Zagreb. Namun, yang membuatnya lebih menarik adalah tembakan meriam harian yang mengingatkan kita akan tradisi lama kota ini.
Kemudian, kita akan mengunjungi Cathedral of Zagreb, sebuah katedral megah yang mengagumkan dengan arsitektur neogothic yang memukau. Dan diakhiri dengan kunjungan ke Nikola Tesla Museum, tempat yang menghidupkan kembali warisan ilmuwan hebat dalam bidang listrik dan teknologi ini.
D5 12MAY ZAGREB – BUDAPEST
Setelah sarapan, kita memulai perjalanan menuju Budapest, ibu kota Hungaria, dan kita langsung memulai tur kota kita. Pertama-tama, kita mengunjungi Buda Castle, sebuah istana megah yang menghadap ke sungai Danube dan menawarkan pemandangan indah ke kota. Kita merasa seakan-akan berada di tengah dongeng. Selanjutnya, kita menjelajahi Andrassy Avenue, jalan yang penuh dengan arsitektur megah dan toko-toko mewah, dilanjutkan dengan mengunjungi Matthias Church, gereja yang mengesankan dengan arsitektur gotik yang memukau.
Kita juga berhenti sebentar di Opera House yang megah sebelum melanjutkan ke Fisherman’s Bastion, sebuah teras dengan pemandangan panorama kota yang spektakuler sebelum melanjutkan ke House of Parliament, salah satu gedung parlemen terbesar di Eropa, yang mengesankan dengan arsitektur neogothicnya.
Terakhir, kita mengunjungi Heroes Square, yang memamerkan patung-patung pahlawan nasional Hungaria. Kita akan check-in di hotel kita di Budapest, dan kita memiliki waktu luang untuk bersantai atau memilih untuk mengikuti tur opsional, seperti Danube River Dinner Cruise, yang akan memberikan kita pengalaman makan malam yang romantis dengan melihat pemandangan Budapest yang terkenal.
D6 13MAY BUDAPEST – BRATISLAVA – VIENNA
Setelah sarapan, kita memulai perjalanan menuju Parndorf Designer Outlet, tempat yang menawarkan berbagai merek terkenal dengan harga diskon yang menarik, sehingga kita dapat menemukan pakaian, aksesori, dan barang-barang mewah lainnya tanpa harus menguras kocek.
Setelah puas berbelanja, kita melanjutkan perjalanan menuju Bratislava, ibu kota Slovakia dan dimulai dengan menjelajahi The Charm-Laden area, dengan suasana klasik dan arsitektur yang indah. Selanjutnya, kita mengunjungi The Elegant Primatial Palace, sebuah istana yang memukau dengan arsitektur baroknya yang megah, lalu St. Martin’s Cathedral dan Franciscan Square, tempat yang penuh dengan sejarah dan pesona.
Selanjutnya, kita akan berfoto ria di Bratislava Castle, sebuah kastil megah yang menghadap ke sungai Danube. Meskipun kita tidak masuk, kita dapat menikmati pemandangan luar biasa dari lokasi ini. Tidak lupa kita akan menjelajahi Cobbled Old Town, dengan jalan-jalan berbatu yang memikat sebelum kita mengakhiri tour dengan mengunjungi Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising, yang menghubungkan dua bagian kota dan menawarkan pemandangan spektakuler sebelum menjuju Vienna, ibu kota Austria, untuk beristirahat.
Setelah check-in di hotel kita di Vienna, kita berkesempatan untuk bersantai atau mengambil opsi tambahan untuk menghadiri Vienna Mozart Orchestra (bergantung kepada jam tiba di Vienna) yang akan membawa kita ke dalam dunia musik klasik Vienna yang megah. Ini adalah pengalaman budaya yang tak terlupakan.
D7 14MAY VIENNA – PRAGUE
Setelah sarapan, explorasi Vienna dimulai dengan mengunjungi State Opera House, salah satu teater terkenal dunia yang merupakan lambang seni dan budaya Vienna. Kemudian, kita melanjutkan ke Natural History Museum dan Museum Quartier, di mana kita dapat mengeksplorasi warisan budaya dan ilmiah yang kaya. Dilanjutkan dengan berfoto ria di Hofburg Palace, bekas kediaman Kaisar Habsburg yang megah dan juga Burg Theater, salah satu teater terkenal di dunia. Belum ke Vienna jika belum ke Schronbrunn Palace, salah satu istana paling indah dan bersejarah di Eropa dan tempat dimana salah satu musisi klasik terkenal, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, sering melakukan konser saat beliau masih hidup. Lalu perjalanan dilanjutkan ke Prague, ibu kota Ceko.
D8 15MAY PRAGUE – MUNICH
Setelah sarapan, pertama-tama kita mengunjungi Wenceslaus Square dan patung St. Wenceslaus untuk merasakan aura sejarah kota ini. Lalu kita akan melihat keindahan Prague Castle dari luar, memandangi keindahan arsitekturnya dan tentunya sejarahnya.
Dilanjutkan dengan Lesser City Tower yang menawarkan pemandangan indah yang patut difoto dan tentunya Charles Bridge, ikon kota Prague dengan patung-patung bersejarah dan pemandangan sungai yang menakjubkan dan banyak film-film terkenal seperti Spider Man Far from Home, Mission Impossible, dan XXX, yang mengambil tempat shooting disini.
Berikutnya adalah Prague Astronomical Clock, jam astronomi abad pertengahan yang mengesankan dengan pertunjukan unik setiap jamnya. Lalu perjalanan dilanjutkan ke Munich dan beristirahat.
D9 16MAY MUNICH
Setelah makan pagi, explorasi dimulai dengan kunjungan ke New & Old Town Hall untuk melihat bangunan-bangunan indah ber-arsitektur Gothic dan Renaissance yang tak boleh dilewatkan. Dilanjutkan Allianz Arena, stadion megah yang menjadi rumah bagi klub sepakbola terkenal Bayern Munchen. Point of interest selanjutnya BMW Museum, sebuah tempat yang wajib dikunjungi bagi pecinta otomotif, dan berfoto ria di Olympic Tower dan Bavarian National Museum, tempat yang memamerkan seni dan budaya Jerman, dan berfoto ria di depan, salah satu ikon kota Munich.
Setelah puas menjelajahi Munich, kita akan menghabiskan waktu sore untuk berbelanja di Ingolstadt Designer Outlet, surga belanja dengan berbagai merek terkenal dengan harga yang diskon.
D10 17MAY MUNICH – JAKARTA
Setelah makan pagi dan check-out dari hotel, kita menuju bandara untuk proses drop-off. Kita telah menghabiskan waktu yang luar biasa dalam petualangan ini, tetapi sekarang saatnya untuk pulang. Seiring pesawat mengudara, kita membawa pulang kenangan indah dan pengalaman berharga dari perjalanan ini.
D11 18MAY JAKARTA
Perjalanan telah selesai, dan kita tiba kembali ke rumah masing-masing setelah menjalani petualangan yang luar biasa. Semoga perjalanan ini memberi kenangan indah dan pengalaman yang tak terlupakan.
Best Time to Visit
The best times to visit West and East Europe are in spring (April-May), summer (June-August) and fall (September-October). In general, West and East Europe countries enjoys mild temperatures, although there are regional variations e.g. there’s a Mediterranean climate in the south and wetter weather in the north. In August, most of the countries closes down to chase the sunshine in the south. For budget travels, winter is one of our preferred times to explore West and East Europe, as the crowds are fewer, yet the restaurants are still lively with locals.
Spring (April to May) is considered one of the best seasons to visit West and East Europe, as temperatures start to rise and life pours back into the towns and countryside. Markets tend to reopen or double in size. Although the Easter school break can increase domestic tourism, West and East Europe during springtime is still relatively peaceful in terms of crowds.
In summer (June to July) across the countries, many visitors either head to the sea or to the swimming pool. June is considered one of the best months to visit, as schools are yet to break up for the summer and temperatures are just right for exploring the cities.
Some businesses throughout the countries close in August, as this is when many of the locals take trips of their own and the schools take their long summer break. However, it’s still a very popular month for travel. Temperatures are at their warmest, so you can spend your days soaking up the sun and dining alfresco.
Autumn (September to October) is one of the best times to visit West and East Europe. Temperatures are still warm but not too hot, creating ideal conditions for exploring both the cities and the countryside. The crowds have thinned, families have returned to school, and landscapes are illuminated with vibrant reds and golds.
In Winter (November to December), although the weather is cooler, it is still great to visit West and East Europe. Museums and sites are quiet, while restaurants in the cities are still lively. Christmas markets open up across the cities, where vendors sell mulled wine, cheese, charcuterie and seasonal arts and crafts. Rural areas can be quiet during these months.
Pointf of Interest
Germany
Historical city of Berlin. Without a doubt, the Brandenburg Gate is Berlin’s signature attraction. Built in 1791, it was just one of many old city gates around the city of Berlin which, at that time, was still a manageable size. The decorative Pariser Platz was laid at the foot of the gate and is now home to many of the city’s important buildings, for example, the Hotel Adlon with its wealth of history and the Akademie der Künste (Academy of the Arts). The magnificent Charlottenburg Palace is located just out of the centre of the city. The beautiful palace hosts fine collections of china and paintings and is situated in the middle of a picturesque palace garden right next to the river Spree. If you don’t fancy a walk in the park, you can feed your mind instead in the Charlottenburg museums located directly opposite. The Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial) is located between the districts of Wedding and Mitte on Bernauer Straße, consisting of the Memorial to the Victims of the Wall, a Documentation Centre and the Chapel of Reconciliation. The surviving section of the wall and watchtower enable visitors to get a real feel for the reality of the border facilities.
Often overshadowed by Berlin, many people think of Munich as just the home of Oktoberfest but there’s so much more to see and do in Bavaria’s capital. As well as the many beautiful sights and museums in the city, it also makes the perfect base for exploring southern Germany and its many Alpine lakes. Whether you just want to relax with some locally brewed beer, or hear up-and-coming musicians at a festival, Munich has something for everyone.
There are over 80 museums to choose from in Munich. You’ll find everything from stark modern art galleries that are home to some of the most famous modern masterpieces to a museum solely dedicated to the humble potato! Highlights include the Glyptothek with its extensive collection of ancient sculpture, and the State Collection of Egyptian Art whose collection covers over 5,000 years. For more ideas on which museums to start with, check out our article on Munich’s must-see museums.
At the heart of Bavaria, Munich is the best spot for exploring the beauty of the area. Using the city as a base, you’re spoiled for choice with the different day trips you could take. One of the most popular is to Neuschwanstein Castle; the inspiration for the archetypal Disney castle, it’s perched on a mountain about an hour from Munich. If you’re not into channeling your inner princess, there are a whole range of beautiful lakes within an easy S-bahn ride of the city centre.
Poland boasts 14 unique UNESCO World Heritage Sites you simply cannot miss. From the ancient Bialowieza Forest – home to the protected European Bison species and spectacular decaying trees – to the picturesque historical Old Towns of Warsaw and Krakow and beautiful medieval churches, the country is one of the most alluring European destinations.
History fans won’t get bored in Poland. From hundreds of medieval castles, to the infamous Auschwitz Birkenau camp and excellent museums (the Warsaw Rising Museum and POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews are especially worth visiting), there is a lot to take in and discover.
Poland also has breathaking mountain ranges. The Tatras are a true paradise for nature lovers. Perfect for hitting the slopes in winter and hiking in the summer season, they are one of Poles’ favorite holiday destinations. Head off the beaten track to discover the lesser-known mountain ranges such as Bieszczady, Pieniny, or Table Mountains (characterized by unique plated rock formations) for a less touristy experience.
Slovakia
Nowadays it can be quite difficult to find a unique destination. Slovakia is still ‘off-the-beaten-path’, undiscovered by masses of tourists. I believe that it’s only a matter of time when more and more travellers will discover its beauty and start to visit. Our nature is still unspoiled and relatively untouched and you can find many peaceful places here without too many people around.
Slovakia may be a young country, but its history and culture are rich. Slovakia’s cities are hundreds of years old with many festivals throughout the year. The way of life in the past used to vary in every Slovak region, so their local culture, folk costumes, and traditional dances differ from village to village and town to town.
Most of the Slovak landscape is basically covered by different mountain ranges. In summer they offer great hikes for all types of adventurers – easier or more challenging ones, and during winter they turn into a white wonderland with great slopes and various winter festivals.
Slovakia also has amazing and unique caves, for example, Dobsinska Ice Cave is covered in ice all year round and is rated as one of the most remarkable ice caves in the world. Ochtinska Cave is one of the three caves in the world with rich natural decorations of aragonite – the two others are located in Mexico and Argentina.
Slovakia has one of the highest amount of castles and châteaux per capita in Europe. There are around 220 castles and 425 châteaux, which is quite impressive when you take into account how small we are. Wherever in Slovakia you are, there is always a castle nearby. The most impressive is Spis Castle from medieval times and even though there are mostly ruins left, it hasn’t lost its charm and majesty. On the other hand, the castle in Bojnice is one of our best preserved and most beautiful castles and it looks straight out of the Cinderella story.
The Czech Republic has the largest density of castles in all of Europe. In fact, there are over 2,000 castles around the country – some in perfect condition, some that are just ruins. The world’s largest castle complex is in Prague, and the country is also home to some of the oldest castles in the world: both Karlštejn Castle and the Trosky Castle ruins were originally built in the 1300s. One of them is the Sedlec Ossuary (a.k.a. Bone Church). The ossuary is a small chapel that contains the bones of somewhere between 40,000-70,000 people – bones that have been used to decorate the walls, create chandeliers, and even a coat of arms. The bones mostly belong to people who died during the Black Plague that hit Europe in the 14th century, although additional skeletons were added to the mass grave behind the church a century later, during the Hussite Wars. Kutna Hora is also home to one of the most famous Gothic churches in the country, St. Barbara’s Church, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Dating back to the ninth century, Prague Castle is recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the largest castle complex in the world, covering an impressive 70,000 square metres (17 acres). The castle complex comprises a number of buildings, which include the gothic St Vitus Cathedral, a number of defence towers, a few museums and churches, the presidential palace and Golden Lane, a 16th-century street that once housed the royal goldsmiths.
One of the oldest bridges in Europe still in use, Charles Bridge was built between 1357 and 1402. The now pedestrian-only bridge has survived floods and the Thirty Years’ War, and is one of the most popular attractions in Prague today. The bridge is decorated with 30 statues representing saints.
Prague’s astronomical clock, installed in 1410, is the oldest operating clock of its kind on the planet. Located in Old Town Square, the clock marks not only the time, but also the months and the astronomical position of the sun and moon, making it sort of a tiny planetarium. The clock is decorated with Gothic sculptures and wooden statues of the apostles that were added over the centuries – and if you happen to stop by on the hour throughout the day or night, you’ll see them come to life.
Romantic architecture, picture-postcard scenery and an abundance of thermal baths are just a few of the things that make Hungary a must-visit destination. Its unique identity has been shaped by a diverse range of influences – from Ottoman invaders to Italian Renaissance designers – meaning there’s plenty to see across the country. For the best of Budapest and beyond, our eight reasons to visit Hungary will get you inspired in a flash.
There are over 1000 natural spring water sources in Hungary. To make the most of those therapeutically thermal waters, Hungarians built dozens of spa baths all over the country. Budapest is home five baths but Szechenyi are the biggest and most attractive, so pack your swimsuit and go for a soothing al fresco dip.
In term of architecture, you’ll be spoilt for Gothic-style architecture in Hungary, but Budapest’s Matthias Church is one of the finest examples with ornate turrets and an intensely detailed colorful roof. Sitting high over the city, the Fisherman’s Bastion is a popular spot to admire the best views over Budapest. An Instagram-friendly viewing platform with striking Disney-esque 19th Century towers, is one of the city’s most visited places. It is no wonder the Buda Castle is featured on the UNESCO World Heritage list, as it is possibly the most beautiful combination in the world, consisting of the hillside, architecture and the Danube.
