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Czech and Slovak Heritage Tours

For specific details to questions of importance to you, please contact me by email at CSTours

Celebrating our 17th Year

In affiliation with "Forest Lake Travel, Inc."

We can now handle ALL your travel needs with a range of specialized plans and tours.

Toll free phone number 1-888-4CS-TOUR ( 1-888-427-8687)


 Call Forest Lake travel and put the $300 deposit (per-person) on your credit card !

SEPTEMBER  TOURS

SEPT.  12 - 26, 2008

6, 11 or 14  glorious days

Offered by Heritage Tours Inc.
4219 Thornhill
St. Paul, MN 55127-7822

 

 

Wine Festival

 

Buchlov Castle

 

Budapest

Butter making

 

Gingerbread

Wine tasting in a cave

 

Folk Festival

 

Jewish cemetery

 

 

Szentendre, Hungary

 

*** tours officially starts in Prague, Czech Republic.  I suggest you fly into Prague the day before the tours start.
       We have booked space in a very nice hotel in the historic center the day before every tour starts. ( as a option )
 
Sept. 12 – Friday  *** 1st Sept. Tour officially starts at 9 AM  -  in the lobby of our Hotel in Central Prague.
AM – Depart for Brno, stroll the city center , lunch. stop at Austerlitz - Napoleon’s battlefield  Stop at a village folk
PM     pottery workshop. Check in to our hotel in Uherske Hradiste, dinner, optional stroll around the historic square.     
 
Sept.  13 – Saturday
AM – Whole day spent at a spectacular wine and harvest festival, with-in a few blocks of our hotel. Approx. 1,500
PM   people in Kroje for the parade, a number of stages with bands, dance groups, foods, crafts, new wine ( burcak )  
 
Sept.  14 – Sunday
AM – Morning free to attend folk festival, church, sleep, shop, etc. then off to visit medieval Buchlov castle started
PM    about the year 1250. Visit a hand made butter workshop. Dinner in a local wine restaurant. some wine tasting ?   
 
Sept. 15 – Monday
AM – Special Czech breakfast – Brewery tour,  then off to Slovakia. Stop in spa town of Piestany stroll the arcades
PM    Lunch, taste the famous spring waters. Arrive to Komarno, check-in, dinner, walk around the restored center.   
 
Sept. 16 – Tuesday
AM - Excursion to Budapest – walking tour of the castle district, fisherman’s bastion, across the historic chain bridge,  PM    Group lunch, free time. Then to Szentendre village, best shopping in Hungary ! Free time to shop, eat dinner.  
 
Sept. 17 – Wednesday
AM – Visit to the oldest Church in Central Europe ( A unique Heritage tour find ! ) the Slovak National stud -
PM   ( horse farm ) a Hungarian style castle, and a arboretum,  Dinner in historic Nitra city. Founded in the 800’s .
 
Sept.  18 – Thursday
AM – Depart for Bratislava charming capital city of Slovakia. Walking tour of the historic center, shopping or lunch.
PM    Visit to Rosa coeli monastery founded in 1181, and Jewish cemetery. Arrive to Jihlava, check-in and dinner.
 
Sept.  19 – Friday
AM – Guided city tour, including medieval catacombs. Free time to stroll the large square, shop, have lunch.
PM    Tour Rokstejn castle – built in 1380. Visit a open air museum. Meet a local gingerbread folk artist. dinner.   
 
Sept.  20 – Saturday
AM – Depart towards Prague with a excursion through a old gold mine, ( souvenirs ? ) lunch in a nearby village
***(2nd Sept. tour starts at  5 PM from hotel lobby - on this day Sept. 20 includes dinner cruise & hotel stay )
PM  check-in to our city center hotel near Wenceslas square, dinner cruise on the Vltava river, around Charles bridge.
****1st Sept. tour (9 days) ends here, OR you can extend the tour by 2 or 8 days with the program listed below   
 
Sept.  21 – Sunday      
AM - Walking tour through the Prague Castle complex - the largest in the world,  lunch and continued sightseeing of
PM     Karluv Most (Charles Bridge), and Stare Mesto (Old Town). till about 4 PM,  evening free - for concerts, etc
 
Sept.  22 – Monday
AM - Guided tour of Vysehrad Castle and/or Josefov (Jewish Town) or Museums or opt out -  to explore on your own, PM    visit family or whatever you wish. Evening - is a amazing dinner at a wine restaurant with dancing and music.
                 ***** 11 day tour - Sept. 12 – 22  ends tonight, but will include ride to airport next morning.   
 
Sept.  23 – Tuesday
AM  -  Off to Pisek, walking tour of the center including oldest stone bridge in Central Europe from 1250. Then a
PM     Czech farm village visit – learn to make kolac -  a Czech pastry and Jiternice - sausage, and a folk craft, sing
           and folk dance.  Then to Ceske Budejovice  - check-in at our charming hotel in the historic old town, dinner. 
   
Sept.  24 – Wednesday 
AM – Special Czech breakfast - tour of Budweiser brewery. Walking tour of the square, garnet, crystal, antique
PM    shopping. Excursion to Cesky Krumlov ( World heritage site ) walking tour of the historic center, free time.  
 
Sept.  25 -  Thursday 
AM – Visit a local folk pottery. Tour the magnificent Hluboka Castle, with it’s astonishing furnishings. Trebon, lunch, PM     stroll the town . Visit the Museum of Czech emigrants, meet local folk artists. Dinner at a stylish restaurant.           
Sept. 26 – Friday 
7:30 AM - Departure for the Prague airport, arriving about 10:30 AM for flights and a lifetime of great memories !
* the final itinerary will have more stops, and much more detail.  I do not publish this in advanced because we don’t
   want our out-of-the-way places to be swamped with tourists.  Our secret places are for you -  our valued guests.
          

PRICES FOR THESE WONDERFUL TRAVEL EXPERIENCES ARE ONLY ;
1st  SEPT. tour
: A FULL 9 DAY TOUR is :  $ 2495.00*  per-person, double.  Single is $ 400 extra.

With 2 day Prague extension, A FULL 11 DAY TOUR is
: $ 2829.00*  per-person.  Single is $ 480 extra.

2nd SEPT. tour
: A FULL 6 DAY TOUR ( starting in Prague Sept. 20th  )is $ 1659.00 pp. Single is $ 300 extra    
BOTH tours together
: A FULL 14+ DAY TOUR is :  $ 3295.00* per-person, double. Single is  $ 575 extra.
 
 

 


 Tour price is based on double room occupancy.  Price includes : Hotel rooms with private bath, in small select superior class hotels ( 3 stars or above).  Almost all meals ( which are large ).   Professional driver, in a nice new 48 passenger modern air-conditioned  motorcoach -  ( with LOTS of room to relax and spread out on all those empty seats, this is a real luxury – as most tours will cram you in, every seat is full )  This is a fully guided tour, with a full time licensed local Czech guide. At the end of the tour, transport to the Prague airport.( one time of departure per tour )  Your admission to places and events on the itinerary. Plus lots of entertainment, ( due to our extensive expertise, almost all entertainment we have is exclusive to Heritage Tours ) This is a Land only tour. Program is subject to change, tour price based on currency exchange rates as of  Oct. 1, 2007. No two tours have ever been the same, each is unique and designed around the local calendar of events.   Tour size is limited to around 15 – 20 people again this is a real luxury, as many of my competitors have 35 to 50 people on one tour.   Tour space is held by deposit only.   *Listed tour price is by personal or bank check, final payment by credit card will add 4 % to your total price. ( the 4 % is NOT added to your tour deposit )  You may charge your tour deposit to your credit card, by phone or email.  Or by personal check sent by postal mail.
 

To place a credit card tour deposit,  and or to book your flights to Europe ONLY

call Forest Lake Travel at : (651) 464-5092 or Toll Free 1-888-427-8687 (Central Time Zone)
 


We invite you to view our extensive web site,  www.czechheritage.com as much more information can be found there.  For ALL tour questions please contact Mark, as he is on every tour - best by email at : Bmark@visi.com  or by phone at ( 651) 426-1222 or you can also try ( 480 ) 982-7994 - ask for Mark

We add many things to our tour program in Europe and are only satisfied when most people say I am too tired to go on !  We don’t believe in playing games with tour prices, there will be very few extras while you are on our tour.    

Those very few extras are:   a. One meal a day, mostly lunches ( with two BIG meals a day, its not missed by most people) Beverages other than breakfast.  b. Car, drivers, translators, for family visits and personal reasons, and additional services done by the genealogical service.  c. An occasional evening cultural program, or extra stops at places or events we come across. d. Gratuities during the tour.  e. Transportation to / from Europe ( Deb at Forest lake travel can get you a price for this – or do your own thing ! )  in Budapest transfers to meet the start of the tour.   

 

For references please feel free to contact : 

Elizabeth Miller in NC (704) 364-4857  email,  emiller@vnet.net
Karen  Helwig ( 262 ) 473-2187 in Wisc. email, helwigr@cni-usa.com 

Kathryn Betlach  (415) 479-8483 in Calif.
Gary Zabokrtsky  ( 402 ) 729-2875 in Nebraska. email : garyzab@alltel.net     

Barb Bening ( 507 ) 964-2739 in MN     
Lisa Conrath  email, ewm1573@yahoo.com  in SC.        

Betsey McCalley ( 319 ) 363-9163 in Iowa          

Doreen McKenny  952-941-0426 in MN Doreenlouise@aol.com       

Gerry Payette  in ILL. ( 708 ) 478-1247         
Kathy Sigdestad in KY email : kathysig@insightbb.com.     

Marge Duffy  in MN  email,  Mduffy38@aol.com            
Midge Robbeloth  920-426-8890 in Wisc. LFACHE@aol.com  

Carol & George Bisek  in MN Cbisek@hazelden.org  
Pat & Dick Kutilek 402-393-7469 in Neb. email, dpkutilek@cox.net      

Susan Tesauro in ILL 708-597-8822   
Jan Jacobs 303-420-6442 in CO email : jjacobs19@aol.com       

Elaine Jones in Neb email :  ekathryn@cox.net 


 
Our exclusive family history assistance:
  While on a Heritage Tour if you are interested in locating your family’s roots, we can make it happen.  We take this mission VERY SERIOUSLY.  Unlike others we contact and search for your living relatives LONG before you depart for Europe.  We check in advance to make sure people know you are coming, that the church will be open, that people will be home etc.  All these matters dealing with family history are handled by a professionally licensed genealogical service, run by a Slovak-American married to a Czech based in Prague.  They work extensively in Central Europe.  We will contact your relatives, and you and they will decide how long your visit will be, a evening, afternoon, a day ?  As not everyone will speak English, drive, or even have a car, we can help out with a car, van, driver or translator if you request it, no problem ! ( at a additional fee )  We will basically fill in with whatever you need to make your family visit a roaring success !   Detailed information regarding this service and much more, will be sent out to you – after you have signed up for a tour
This is a GREAT GENERAL TOUR, each day is plum full of activities, your personal family history and visit is for you, the group is not invited along.  We will be very interested to hear about your wonderful visit, but it’s your day to be spent with your family. 
 
Don’t let the large paragraph above worry you if your not of Czech or Slovak background. If your interest is just seeing a wonderful part of Europe - enjoying a more in-depth experience, or extensive travelers looking for a better travel experience – all have found our tours a wonderful off the beaten path travel experience !     
 
In the last few years we have had many non-Czech or Slovak background people join us, as more of the world learns what a wonderful place Central Europe really is. Including American Teachers and librarians doing school projects, and American’s living in Europe full time.  On our last tour of 2006, we had  6 Australian’s and a lady from England – two of the Australians were returning for their 2nd tour with us !  ( none of whom are of Czech or Slovak background, they had all heard wonderful things about our tours ! ) 
 
    You will meet many friends as we have over the last 16 years, it's less like a tour and more like a family
    outing visiting friends.   Don’t miss your chance…………. Join us for the trip of a lifetime in 2008 !

      for more family history information please contact the national Genealogical Society I founded the :
                            CzechoSlovak Genealogical Society Int.   PO Box 16225    St. Paul   MN   55116
                  
or visit their web site at: www.cgsi.org  ( a not-for-profit, totally volunteer organization  ) 
 


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 Comments: Webmaster November 1st, 2006