Winter in Eastern Europe
A10-day wintry group tour took place recently, through the initiative of four travel agencies combining forces – Grand Holidays, Travelways, Flaneur Travel, and Meteor Tour Philippines. The tour covered the cities of Prague, Krakow, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, and Innsbruck, from the last days of February through the first week of March. Korean Air’s Anne Momongan and Grand Holiday’s Cherry Lynn Callelero were hands-on in looking after the 22 members of the tour group.
The six-hour layover at Incheon Airport’s swanky new Terminal 2 KAL Prestige Lounge, which caters to Business Class and Sky Team Elite Plus passengers, was quite an initial experience on this trip. The lounge’s ambiance spelled rest and relaxation, with calming colors of beige and grey. The various seating arrangements were obviously well-thought. And there was no room for hunger with the hot and cold buffet being continually replenished. Other facilities like shower, entertainment, and work areas were in place as well.
The point of entry for the tour was Prague. Touchdown at Praha Airport in the mid-afternoon allowed enough time for catching the beautiful sunset. But the bitter cold hinted of what was in store for the group in the days to come, although the warm smile of Czech tour manager, Marek, was reassuring.
February and March are traditionally low season for tourists because of the winter, which makes exploring places on foot quite an ordeal. On the other hand, there are no tourist crowds, no long lines at the tourist spots and no waiting for tables in restaurants. Add to that the cheap airfares and hotel rates during this time of the year.
On the bus from Praha Airport to the group’s hotel, which is strategically situated in Wenceslas Square right smack in the middle of Prague and a walking distance to the Old Town Square, the group had a good view of the remnants of Prague’s communist past. The Our Lady of Victory Church was a necessary item in the itinerary. Catholic pilgrims would come and visit the whole year round to pay homage to miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague.
The bus ride from Prague to Krakow took eight hours. In between, there was a 30-minute break, so the group could relish the scenic views of the Czech and Polish snowy countryside. Upon arrival in Lagiewniki, Krakow, the group went straight to the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy, to see the relics of St. Faustyna Kowalska and miraculous image of Merciful Jesus.
As most group members didn’t come prepared for the minus-12-degrees weather and ‘snowmageddon’, winter bubble jacket, beanies, earmuffs, and boots with trekking non-slip soles were at the top of the shopping itinerary upon arriving in Krakow, on the third day. They trooped to a mall that looked very high-end but where the prices were really cheap.
Next, the group was ready for the trek up the Wawel Hill, a UNESCO Heritage Site where the Wawel Cathedral and Castle are located. Wawel Cathedral was where the coronation of Polish monarchs were held in the past. Crypts of monarchs and notable personalities of Poland are found there as well.
In Vienna, the group visited the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, formerly the imperial summer residence of the Habsburg monarchy and now a museum. The Habsburgs were the ruling monarchy behind the colonization of the Philippines.
In Salzburg, the group didn’t miss out on the most visited movie site of “The Sound of Music.” The actual Von Trapp Manor, which is now a hotel, was really such a sight. In Munich, they had a beer-drinking session. Then, on their way to Innsbruck from Munich, they had a glimpse of the imposing Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle.
After a leisurely stroll in Innsbruck’s old town square, they went for a cable car ride at Hungerburgbahn, designed by the late Zaha Hadid. The first station brought them through an underground tunnel up to the top station with a spectacular 360-degree view of Innsbruck city center and the Alps.
Travelling to Europe in the winter months can be fun, after all. Especially so when the traveller keeps in touch with people back home all along. Flypack’s mobile wifi router is a handy gadget to carry around; it can be booked and rented (at https://flytpack.com/wifi) a week before the scheduled trip.
Korean Air flies daily to Prague from Cebu via Incheon, Seoul Korea. Flights may be booked thru the website at https://www.koreanair.com/global/en.html or thru the airline’s Cebu office at Mactan Cebu International Airport (phone 032-3405431).