Somewhere between classic Central Europe (Prague/Vienna) and distinctly Eastern Europe one can findtowns and regions that have yet to be rediscovered by tourism. These forgotten spots and undiscovered gems are a mix of central and eastern and teem with life, colors, rich traditions, magnificent castles, charming towns and special people. Some are rural regions that were thankfully forgotten by the Communists and left alone, standing now as glimpse into life as it was 200 years ago. Other spots on the tour are cities and towns that were once the furthest most reaches of the Habsburg empire - most still far from the tourist track. In the spirit of other Roads Less Traveled tours, we will bring you to these forgotten places and give you experiences that other tours can’t offer up. You’ll be amongst the locals, their traditions, history and stories.

We will explore the Bukovina region: packed full of gorgeous painted monasteries on the Romanian side and sporting an art nouveau rich town in Chernovcy on the Ukraine side. In Maramures we’ll witness authentic rural life where things have changed little in the past few centuries and where folks still dress in traditional clothing, skilled craftsmen build towering wooden church spires and artists paint colorful cemeteries. We’ll explore two of the greatest Central European cities: Lviv and Krakow; both abuzz with cafe culture, arts, music and great architecture. And as always on our tours, we’ll sneak in some treats like visits to the beautiful Lychakiv cemetery in Lviv and the ruined castle of Vlad Dracula (not the one geared to tourists). We’ll also get a glimpse into the art of decorated eggs with an artist in the bucolic countryside of Romania and learn to make our own pierogies (Polish dumplings) with a local family in Krakow.

Daily Itinerary

April to October. 2011: name your dates

September 25 - October 12, 2011