Visit the Vučedol Culture Museum. The concept behind this unique museum is integration into the terrain—the entire structure is designed to be mostly buried in the ground and only the façade is open to the landscape. On the building’s green roof, you can reach the archaeological sites over the museum. Along the serpentine path, you’ll encounter archaeological findings that have been discovered to date, which showcase the daily life and customs during a turbulent time of the immigration of the first Indo-Europeans and their relationship with the native population, the blending of material cultures and religions.

Following your time at the museum, you’ll be welcomed into a local family’s home for a traditional meal before embarking on a sightseeing tour of Osijek with a local guide. As you walk through cultural heart of Croatia’s Slavonia region, you’ll note the city’s attractive ambience, nostalgic charm, and plentiful green spaces.

Explore the bounties of nature in Croatia’s Syrmia region today, starting with a drive from Batina to village of Nijemci, where a welcome drink and a local biologist or ornithologist are waiting for you. Set out on a scenic sailing down the Bosut River with your specialist guide, who will point out the various flora and fauna you’ll see along your tour. Disembark the boat to take a leisurely nature walk through the lush Spačva Forest.

Next, we’ll drive to a local farm, where we’ll indulge in an authentic lunch of regional specialties, all produced on-site.

Following your lunch, we’ll continue on to explore the city of Vukovar, with stops at the iconic Vukovar Water Tower, the historic Eltz Manor, and the city center, where Vukovar’s rich heritage and modern life are on display.

This panoramic tour is a wonderful way to get an overview of the city if you have never been here before. It will carry you from Heroes’ Square, created in 1896 to honor the thousand-year anniversary of Hungary’s founding and its greatest historical figures, past some of the city’s most striking architectural sights—Dohány Street Synagogue, the Hungarian National Museum, the state opera house, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the truly stunning Parliament Building—to Castle Hill, which has been called the heart of the nation. The city of Buda began here, when King Béla built a strong keep in 1243 as a defense against Mongol invaders; a castle replaced the simple fortress, and over the centuries other castles replaced that one. The current castle is primarily 18th century; a museum dedicated to Budapest’s archaeological finds is housed there, and the Castle Hill district has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll go inside the magnificent 700-year-old Matthias Church, named for one of Hungary’s greatest kings, and then wend your way on foot to the picturesque Fisherman’s Bastion, whose seven fairytale-like towers represent the seven tribes that originally settled the region. It offers a glorious view of the city and the Danube below.

Note: Visits to the interior of Matthias Church may not be possible on some weekends and Catholic holidays.

Inaugurated in 1876, Andrassy Avenue was the masterpiece of 19th-century Hungary’s most renowned architects. In one long stretch from Elizabeth Square to Heroes’ Square, this grand boulevard was lined with palatial Neo-Renaissance buildings and accented with plentiful trees. Today, its streets are filled with high-end boutiques, restaurants, and cafés, all interspersed with historic buildings in a stunning blend of old and new.

People-watch and learn the history behind some of the most iconic buildings on this strip—including the beautiful Hungarian State Opera House—as you take a walk with a local guide. After, you’ll visit the Szabó Ervin Library, a gorgeous, old-fashioned library tucked into a 19th-century aristocrat’s mansion.

Note: Occasionally, the Szabó Ervin Library will not be available, and an alternative experience will be arranged.

Don’t let Bratislava’s small size fool you—this charming capital once held outstanding significance to the Hungarian monarchy. In 1563, it was named the capital of Hungary and hosted no less than 18 royal coronations by 1830, including those of Maria Theresa and Maximillian I. Follow the path these monarchs took on their coronation processions as you explore Bratislava with a local guide, arriving at the site where they were each crowned: St. Martin’s Cathedral. In these historic halls, you will be treated to a small concert arranged privately for our guests.

This brilliantly white, enormous square building takes over the skyline of Bratislava, and from its grounds you’ll find incredible views of the city below.

After your hike to the castle, you’ll stroll through the most beautiful part of Bratislava with the local guide. You will be introduced to the Capital of Slovakia, seeing sites like the Presidential Palace and the unique bridge colloquially known as UFO Bridge (you’ll understand when you see it).

Passing through the historic Old Town, we’ll see the charming House of the Good Shepherd, the pastel tower of the Old Town Hall, and statues like Čumil, the sewage worker leaning out of a manhole in the street to smile at passersby.

Inhabited by the Counts of Clam for over half a millennium, the Burg Clam is as much a beloved family home as it is a local landmark and attractive castle. The friendly Count will personally welcome you in for a chance to tour the building’s historic halls.

Step off the ship and into the quaint streets of Spitz, an idyllic medieval town tucked cozily into the valley below Tausendeimerberg—which literally translates to “Thousand Bucket Mountain,” so named because the vineyards that blanket the mountainsides are said to produce a thousand buckets of wine per year. As you take a leisurely walk with a local guide, who is one of the just over 1,500 people who live in this little town, you’ll learn about the history and traditions that make Spitz unique.

Walk through the attractive town of Spitz to arrive at the Schifffahrtsmuseum, where centuries of shipping and maritime history are on display. Here, you are invited to learn about the role of Spitz and the wider Wachau region in the Danube trade route—once far much more treacherous than it is today. To accompany your visit, a selection of delicious apricot treats will be waiting for you. Apricots, or marillen, as they are known here, are one of the most important products of Spitz. Countless apricot trees dot the landscape, blooming with white flowers in the spring, bursting with fruit through the summer, and turning bright yellow-gold in the fall.

Take to the vineyards of Spitz on a brisk hike to learn why the locals have dubbed their picturesque, green mountain “Tausendeimerberg.” The name literally translates to “Thousand Bucket Mountain,” in honor of how much wine these vineyards produce each year. How many bottles of wine is that? Roughly 74,600, give or take. But that’s not all Tausendeimerberg provides for the people of Spitz. As you take in the gorgeous views above the river afforded by your hike on this mountain, you’ll understand why the locals are so proud to call this place home.

Enter the Bavarian Forest, Germany’s first and largest national park, to discover an abundant wilderness covered in diverse flora and fauna. This area is home to several unique craft traditions, and you’ll have your choice of which ones you’d like to discover today.

Enjoy a tasting of local schnapps. In Germany, schnapps refers to any hard liquor, and each is distinguished by the ingredients it is distilled from. The word means “snap,” since schnapps is generally “snapped” back in the style of a shot.

From there, you’ll move on to a glass workshop and see how the local style of glassware is crafted.

Begin this three-hour excursion with a visit to the city center of Regensburg’s Old Town, which has much to offer including the Porta Praetoria Roman ruins, the Old Stone Bridge, St. Peter’s Cathedral, medieval patrician towers and the former Jewish Quarter among many other sights. Next, take a short walk to the Princely House of Thurn and Taxis. The family estate is difficult to miss: at over 1,000 years old, the mansion boasts over 500 rooms complete with chandeliers, gold leafing, incredible art and architectural touches to make it truly a sight to behold. The palace has an incredible history and stands as a tale of revival, endurance and baroque style.  What’s even more spectacular? The palace has a long list of celebrities who have stayed within its walls: Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, Steve Martin, Plácido Domingo and more. These walls may not be able to talk, but if they could they would surely say, “Come see us for yourself!”

Take a short drive to the Upper Palatinate Lake District to find something entirely unexpected: a giant wooden ball sitting right in the middle of the serene landscape. Made up of twisting walkable paths, this “adventure ball” is the largest of its kind in the whole world. Walk to the top of the ball for amazing views of the lake. After, take a short hike to the lakefront to discuss local plants, fish, and conservation with an expert guide. You’ll learn about how a passion for sustainability shapes the farming and building efforts in the area, and see some of the interesting Eco Houses that have been built at the lake.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports Global Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; and Global Goal 13: Climate Action.

Hops vines grow up their strings in a field tower almost twice a person’s height. They’re grown for their flowers, which add a distinctive flavor to beer—but the fields they grow in add a distinctive flavor to the hops. You could call it terroir for beer, and you can delve into hops cultivation and hops brewing today. Travel through Bavaria’s Holledau region, the largest hops growing district in the world, and meet an enthusiastic ambassador of hops growing and beer making. She will give you a quick and lively history of hops in Germany—including Bavaria’s law governing the making of beer, which has specified since 1560 that the only ingredients permitted in beer are water, barley and hops—and lead you on a tour through the growing fields her family owns, followed by a craft beer tasting in the cozy barn turned beer hall. It’s a delicious way to get to know a fascinating aspect of the international farm-to-table movement.

Set out on a panoramic drive towards Nuremberg’s Old Town. Along the way, look out the window to catch a glimpse of several interesting sites, including the former SS Barracks, Nuremberg’s train station, and the old city walls. You’ll get off the bus near the castle for a walking tour of the historic neighborhood surrounding it, then descend underground to find a secret Nazi art bunker hidden beneath the castle.

In the medieval period, a network of tunnels was built under the castle hill, and parts of these tunnels were later turned into an artifact preservation bunker during World War II. The Nazis stored several highly valuable and symbolic items here to keep them safe from Allied air raids, including the imperial regalia of the Holy Roman Empire, looted artifacts from occupied nations, and paintings by Albrecht Dürer, a German painter whose home you’ll have passed on your tour through the Old Town.

Please note: you may find it beneficial to bring a warm jacket with you on this tour, as the art bunker naturally sits at around 55°C.

Hitler considered Nuremberg the perfect expression of German culture (partly because of its significance in the Holy Roman Empire, which he called the First Reich), and so beginning in 1927, he chose to hold his massive rallies in the city. By 1933, his favorite architect, Albert Speer, had designed the vast Nazi Party Rally Grounds, where thousands upon thousands of Nazi troops saluted Hitler. (Leni Riefenstahl captured these events in her famous propaganda film Triumph of the Will.) Not all of Speer’s plans were executed, and some of his grandiose structures were bombed out of existence, but the remainder stand as vivid testimony to Hitler’s megalomania. A four-square-mile (10-square-kilometer) complex known as Zeppelin Fields contains parade grounds and a huge grandstand, the excavation site where a stadium for 400,000 people was begun—the hole is now filled with water.