ITINERARY

DAY 1 | SUNDAY 20 DECEMBER 2026

1ST OF 4 NIGHTS AT HOTEL ADLON KEMPINSKI BERLIN

ARRIVE BERLIN, PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK & PERFORMANCE AT DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN (welcome drinks):

Arrive at our hotel, Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, a luxury 5-star hotel located on Unter den Linden, the main boulevard in the central Mitte district, directly opposite the Brandenburg Gate. Hotel check-in is at 4:00pm and we recommend arriving at the hotel at this time.

In the early evening we come together for welcome drinks followed by our first talk by Tour Leader, Graham Abbott, about the music we will hear this evening. We then attend our first performance of the tour at the prestigious Deutsche Oper Berlin.

OPERA PERFORMANCE - DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN

DAY 2 | MONDAY 21 DECEMBER 2026

2ND OF 4 NIGHTS AT HOTEL ADLON KEMPINSKI BERLIN

GUIDED TOUR OF THE GEMÄLDEGALERIE & DINNER (B, D):

This morning we travel by private coach to the Gemäldegalerie where we have a private guided tour of a selection of core works. Since its foundation in 1830, the collection in this art museum has been developed with a systematic and scholarly eye to the history of European painting from the 13th to 18th-century. This thoughtfully selected collection is the basis for its many incomparable masterpieces and for the gallery’s world-class reputation today. Works range from Italian masterpieces such as those by Giotto, Fra Angelico, Raphael and Titian to the richly detailed pictures of Bruegel, works by the Flemish master van Eyck and the most notable figures in early German painting such as Dürer, Baldung, Grien, Cranach the Elder and Holbein. There is one of the largest and most exquisite Rembrandt collections in the world and a splendid collection of 18th-century paintings including works by Canaletto, Watteau, and Gainsborough.

Following the tour, the afternoon is free and, with approximately 1000 masterpieces on display in the upper galleries, you might like to spend a little more time at the gallery to enjoy them.

One of the great joys of being in Europe at Christmas time is having the opportunity to visit some of Europe’s magical Christmas markets. Berlin’s most popular and luxurious Christmas market is a 15-minute walk or a 5-minute taxi ride from our hotel. Over a thousand shining Christmas baubles and lights ensure a festive Christmas atmosphere. In the heated arts and crafts tent, glass blowers, goldsmiths, candle makers, tailors and many other exhibitors offer their treasures for sale and, also in heated tents, all sorts of culinary delights are available in a festive environment. Bustling, atmospheric markets can also be found around Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in the heart of old West Berlin, and Charlottenburg Palace is home to one of the most prominent Christmas markets in the city.

We come together this evening to enjoy a gourmet dinner.

DAY 3 | TUESDAY 22 DECEMBER 2026

3RD OF 4 NIGHTS AT HOTEL ADLON KEMPINSKI BERLIN

PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK, GUIDED TOUR OF BERLIN PHILHARMONIE & PERFORMANCE (B):

We start our morning with a private talk by Graham Abbott, about the music we will hear in this evening’s performance.

Following our talk, we go on a private guided tour of the remarkable Berlin Philharmonie. Our tour will visit both the Philharmonie and the Chamber Music Hall and will give guests an interesting and comprehensive insight into the architecture and acoustics of the buildings as well as into the history of the Berliner Philharmoniker.

The afternoon is then free and many fascinating sites are within walking distance of our hotel. If you want to engage with the city’s history, you could visit The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a Holocaust Memorial, which is a 5-minute walk from the hotel. Continuing in the same direction, a 15-minute walk from the hotel, is Potsdamer Platz, totally destroyed during WWII, and left desolate during the Cold War when the Berlin Wall bisected the area. A few remaining slabs of the wall together with an accompanying information display can still be seen at the square. Since German reunification Potsdamer Platz has been redeveloped and nearby are two fascinating new museums, The Deutschland Museum offering 2000 years of German history in an immersive experience exhibition, and the Deutsches Spionage Museum tracing a history of spying in Germany.

In the evening we attend a performance at the Berlin Philharmonie, Berlin Konzerthaus or Komische Oper Berlin.

ORCHESTRAL CONCERT OR OPERA PERFORMANCE - BERLIN PHILHARMONIE, BERLIN KONZERTHAUS OR KOMISCHE OPER BERLIN

DAY 4 | WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER 2026

4TH OF 4 NIGHTS AT HOTEL ADLON KEMPINSKI BERLIN

PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK, LUNCH & PERFORMANCE AT STAATSOPER UNTER DEN LINDEN (B, L):

This morning Graham Abbott will give a talk about the music we will hear this evening. Following this we enjoy a delicious lunch together.

After lunch, the late afternoon is free. Guests may be interested to go to Museum Island and visit the magnificent Baroque Berliner Dom, Berlin’s biggest Protestant Church, built between 1894 and 1905, and rebuilt to include spires and a simplified cupola. Or, you may like to visit one of the spectacular museums on the island. Immediately beyond Berlin Cathedral is the Spree River, where you can take a river tour of Berlin. On the river tour a guide indicates where East and West Berlin were divided, and points out the varied and imaginative government buildings, including the reconstructed Reichstag.

We come together in the evening to attend a performance at the beautiful Staatsoper Unter den Linden, in the heart of historic Berlin.

OPERA OR BALLET PERFORMANCE - STAATSOPER UNTER DEN LINDEN

DAY 5 | THURSDAY 24 DECEMBER 2026

1ST OF 4 NIGHTS AT ARIA HOTEL PRAGUE

BERLIN TO PRAGUE, VIA DRESDEN (B, drinks and canapés):

This morning we leave Berlin and travel to Prague, making a stop on the way to explore Dresden, one of Europe’s greatest Baroque cities, which also has a dramatic and enthralling history. Saxon rulers lavishly erected palaces and churches there, and also bequeathed to the city vast collections of art and antiquities; however, the city suffered almost complete destruction in World War II, followed by 45 years of post-war neglect under the Soviet regime. The Dresden we visit has risen from the ashes of its 20th-century devastation. Palaces glitter, museums display their many riches, and the dome of the magnificently restored Frauenkirche again stands out above the skyline.

On arrival we have a guided walking tour. We see the Frauenkirche, completed in 1743 and destroyed during Allied bombing in 1945, and we hear how the ruins of the old building were catalogued and stored for use in its reconstruction, so that when it reopened in 2005, nearly 4,000 original stones had been included. Our stroll includes seeing the dramatic Procession of Princes mural, visiting Theatreplatz, dominated by the sumptuous Semperoper, and seeing the Zwinger, a magnificent early 18th-century palace in the centre of the city, which houses part of the Dresden State Art Collections.

Following the walking tour, time is allowed for lunch and for some individual exploration of Dresden. You may like to enjoy Dresden’s Striezelmarkt, considered to be the oldest Christmas market in Germany. It also boasts other outstanding features, such as the world’s tallest, 14.61-metre-high Ore Mountain step pyramid, what is likely to be the world’s largest walk-in candle arch, and a daily programme of cultural Christmas events.

We then continue our journey to the beautiful, historic city of Prague. On arrival we check into the boutique 5-star Aria Hotel Prague. The hotel is located a short walk from the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. The hotel is inspired by music with each room dedicated to a specific style of music or a particular artist or composer.

After settling into our hotel rooms we come together for drinks and canapés to celebrate Christmas Eve in Prague.

DAY 6 | FRIDAY 25 DECEMBER 2026

2ND OF 4 NIGHTS AT ARIA HOTEL PRAGUE

PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK, CHRISTMAS LUNCH & PERFORMANCE (B, L):

After a leisurely breakfast we meet for a talk by Graham Abbott about the performance we will attend this evening. Following this we celebrate Christmas Day with a traditional Czech Christmas lunch.

In the early evening we attend an opera or ballet performance at the National Theatre, the State Opera or the Estates Theatre.

OPERA OR BALLET PERFORMANCE - THE STATE OPERA, THE NATIONAL THEATRE OR THE ESTATES THEATRE

DAY 7 | SATURDAY 26 DECEMBER 2026

3RD OF 4 NIGHTS AT ARIA HOTEL PRAGUE

GUIDED TOUR OF PRAGUE CASTLE (B):

This morning we have a guided tour of spectacular Prague Castle which sits in majesty on a hill looking over the surrounding city and the Vltava River. The castle complex, established in 880 took 700 years to complete. We tour the old castle and St Vitus Cathedral, where royals were christened, married and buried, and where, until 1836, the Kings of Bohemia were crowned. We visit stunning Vladislav Hall, built between 1493–1502, which has a complex stone vault spanning sixteen metres. St George's Basilica, founded in 920, the oldest surviving church building in the castle complex, is also on our tour.

The afternoon and evening are then free. One lovely activity would be to stroll over the historic Charles Bridge and walk to the Christmas Markets at Prague’s beautiful Old Town Square. The Old Town Square was a marketplace for merchants touring Europe in the 12th-century. Formerly referred to as the Big Square, it grew in significance over the years to become the most important historical site in the Czech Republic and, with its ancient buildings, the Gothic Tyn Cathedral, the Baroque St Nicholas Church and the 80-metre-high Prague Orloj, it is one of the most picturesque sites in Europe. Wenceslas Square, a further 10-minutes away, also has a Christmas market that you might like to explore. The markets, located in brightly lit, decorated wooden huts, sell local handicrafts and also offer a wide range of local food and wine.

DAY 8 | SUNDAY 27 DECEMBER 2026

4TH OF 4 NIGHTS AT ARIA HOTEL PRAGUE

GUIDED TOUR OF MUNICIPAL HOUSE, PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK & PERFORMANCE (B):

This morning we have a guided tour of Prague’s Municipal House (Obecní Dum), designed in the early 20th-century and an outstanding example of art nouveau architecture. From Smetana Hall, the grand concert venue, to every light fitting, chair, and tile was specially designed by leading artists of the day. Smetana Hall is the crown jewel of the building, with a large glass dome over the auditorium.

The afternoon is free to explore more of Prague or to relax ahead of this evening’s concert. If you feel inclined to enjoy a little exploration you might enjoy visiting the Mucha Museum. This is a small museum dedicated to the life and work of the great Czech Art Nouveau artist, Alphonse Mucha (1859-1939), which displays paintings, posters, drawings and lithographs.

In the early evening we have an informative talk by Graham Abbott. We then attend an opera or ballet performance at the National Theatre, the State Opera or the Estates Theatre.

OPERA OR BALLET PERFORMANCE - THE STATE OPERA, THE NATIONAL THEATRE OR THE ESTATES THEATRE

DAY 9 | MONDAY 28 DECEMBER 2026

1ST OF 5 NIGHTS AT STEIGENBERGER HOTEL HERRENHOF, VIENNA

PRAGUE TO VIENNA, VIA ALPHONSE MUCHA’S SLAV EPIC & DINNER (B, D):

This morning we depart Prague and travel by private coach to Vienna.

We break our journey to visit Moravský Krumlov, a town in the South Moravian Region of Czechia, where Art Nouveau painter Alphonse Mucha’s Slav Epic is on display in the chateau. The Slav Epic is a series of twenty monumental artworks which depict the history and mythology of the Slavic civilization and people. The series, which took Mucha from 1910 to 1926 to complete, depicts twenty key episodes from the Slavic past, ancient to modern, with ten episodes from Czech history and ten showing historical episodes from other Slavonic regions. Mucha hoped the Slav Epic would serve to unite the Slavic people through their mutual respect for peace and learning and through their common history. In 1928, Mucha and Crane, his American patron, presented the complete series to the City of Prague as a gift to the nation. It will return to Prague when they have a suitable building to house the huge canvases.

After viewing the Slav Epic, we continue our coach journey to Vienna. On arrival we check into the 5-star Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof, perfectly located in the heart of Vienna’s 1st district. It is just a few minutes’ walk from Kohlmarkt and Graben, Vienna's most beautiful shopping streets, and a short stroll from the Vienna State Opera, St Stephen’s Cathedral and Hofburg Palace.

After settling into our hotel rooms, we come together in the evening to enjoy a dinner of traditional Viennese cuisine.

DAY 10 | TUESDAY 29 DECEMBER 2026

2ND OF 5 NIGHTS AT STEIGENBERGER HOTEL HERRENHOF, VIENNA

GUIDED TOUR OF THE KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM VIENNA, PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK & PERFORMANCE AT VIENNA STATE OPERA (B):

This morning, we have a private guided tour of the picture gallery at the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Vienna’s magnificent Museum of Fine Arts. The imposing 19th-century museum has opulent interiors, and collections of art and antiquities established from the collections of the House of Habsburg. The Picture Gallery Collection is one of the largest and most important of its kind in the world today, containing among other highlights pictures by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, as well as masterpieces by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Raphael, Caravaggio, Velázquez and Italian Baroque painters.

At the conclusion of the tour, you may like to return to our hotel to rest before the evening’s performance; however, if you feel inclined you could have lunch in the museum‘s Café & Restaurant, which is wonderfully situated in the magnificent cupola hall of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. After lunch, you might enjoy looking at more paintings, or you might be interested in other aspects of the museum’s holdings, the Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection, the Collections of Greek and Roman Antiquities, Sculpture and Decorative Arts and the Coin Collection. Alternatively, you could walk across Maria-Theresien-Platz to the Naturhistorisches Museum.

In the early evening we have a talk by Graham Abbott about this evening’s performance.

We then attend an opera or ballet performance at the Vienna State Opera. This magnificent Renaissance Revival venue, built from 1861 to 1869, was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was inaugurated as the ‘Vienna Court Opera’ in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria. It became known by its current name after the establishment of the First Austrian Republic in 1921.

OPERA OR BALLET PERFORMANCE - VIENNA STATE OPERA

DAY 11 | WEDNESDAY 30 DECEMBER 2026

3RD OF 5 NIGHTS AT STEIGENBERGER HOTEL HERRENHOF, VIENNA

GUIDED TOUR OF THE ALBERTINA MUSEUM & GUIDED WALKING TOUR OF VIENNA (B):

This morning we have a private guided tour of the impressive Albertina Museum, founded in 1776, and located in the Albertina Palace, a grand neoclassical structure initially built as part of the Hofburg Palace in the 17th-century. This exciting museum houses one of the largest and most important print rooms in the world with approximately 65,000 drawings and approximately one million Old Master prints including works from such artists as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Albrecht Dürer, and Rembrandt. Following the tour, time is allowed for lunch and you may like to visit the museum’s Café & Restaurant which offers coffee and cake, classic Viennese dishes and international delicacies.

Then in the afternoon we have a private walking tour through Vienna’s Old Town seeing and hearing about such highlights as the Hofburg Palace, some of Vienna’s beautiful gardens, and the stunning architecture of the Parliament and the Rathaus der Stadt Wien, located on the elegant Ringstrasse.

After our walking tour, the late afternoon and evening are free. You might like to rest or you could visit spectacular St Stephen’s Cathedral, the Romanesque and Gothic cathedral with its multi-coloured tile roof being one of the city’s most recognizable symbols. Mozarthaus Vienna, where Mozart lived from 1784 to 1787 is only a few minutes’ walk from the cathedral. This is Mozart’s only surviving Viennese residence and it is now a museum, presenting information about the composer in combination with historical exhibits and audio-visual installations. It was in this imposing first floor apartment that Mozart wrote some of his greatest compositions, including one of his most popular operas, The Marriage of Figaro.

DAY 12 | THURSDAY 31 DECEMBER 2026

4TH OF 5 NIGHTS AT STEIGENBERGER HOTEL HERRENHOF, VIENNA

PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK, CONCERT AT THE VIENNA KONZERTHAUS & NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER (B, D):

We start today with a talk by Graham Abbott about this evening’s performance.

The afternoon is then free. A very popular, traditional way of celebrating New Year’s Eve in Vienna is by attending one of its magnificent New Year’s Eve concerts, and we are fortunate to be attending the New Year’s Eve Concert given by the Vienna Symphoniker, at the Vienna Konzerthaus. However, outside there is another celebration, the Wiener Silvesterpfad (Vienna New Year's Eve Trail), an exuberant street party where people can enjoy various performances and concerts, and buy food and drinks, all in several key locations in the old city centre. Towards midnight people gather at Stephansplatz in front of the cathedral to hear the Pummerin’s midnight chimes, and at Rathausplatz in front of the town hall, for a communal waltz and firework display. The Silvesterpfad typically begins at 2:00pm on December 31st, so you may like to visit one of the key locations and catch a glimpse of the start of the celebrations before you prepare for this evening’s concert.

In the evening we attend a much in demand New Year’s Eve Concert of the Vienna Symphoniker at the Vienna Konzerthaus. When, in 1913, the Vienna Konzerthaus was officially opened after only two years in construction, it was a very modern building setting new standards for its architecture, visitor-friendly atmosphere, construction technology and modern facilities. The entrance hall and staircases were specially constructed to allow a free flow of around 4,000 people, while the three halls, all of which are on the same level but are acoustically separated from each other, can be used individually or together, for different events. The venue is home to the Vienna Symphoniker, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Wiener Singakademie and Klangforum Wien, and has performances by the Vienna Philharmonie and other organisations.

ORCHESTRAL CONCERT - VIENNA KONZERTHAUS

Following the concert, we enjoy a celebratory, gourmet New Year’s Eve dinner.

DAY 13 | FRIDAY 1 JANUARY 2027

5TH OF 5 NIGHTS AT STEIGENBERGER HOTEL HERRENHOF, VIENNA

GUIDED TOUR OF VIENNA STATE OPERA HOUSE & FAREWELL LUNCH (B, L):

This morning we enjoy a private guided tour of the Vienna State Opera House, the world's largest repertory operation. We learn fascinating facts about the history of the house, its architecture and the opera business, details that otherwise remain hidden from the evening opera-goer. From the foyer we will walk up the grand staircase, through the state rooms, the Tea Salon, the Marble Hall, the Schwindfoyer, and the Gustav Mahler Hall, to the imposing, lavishly decorated auditorium.

Following our tour, we enjoy a delicious farewell lunch, to mark the final day of our tour.

DAY 14 | SATURDAY 2 JANUARY 2027

TOUR ENDS (B):

Following our final breakfast at the hotel, the tour concludes.

Please note: there may be some changes to the itinerary depending on final confirmation of evening performances.

INCLUSIONS

20 DECEMBER 2026–2 JANUARY 2027 (14 DAYS)

AUD$15,650 PER PERSON TWIN SHARE

Single supplement: AUD$3,850
Deposit payment 1: Deposit AUD$1,500 per person (due at time of booking)
Deposit payment 2: Deposit AUD$1,500 per person (due on 20 July 2026)
Final payment due: 16 October 2026

INCLUSIONS:

• Performances: Premium tickets for seven performances including: an opera at the Deutsche Oper Berlin; a performance at the Berlin Philharmonie, Berlin Konzerthaus or Komische Oper Berlin; an opera or ballet at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin; two performances of opera or ballet in Prague at The National Theatre, The State Opera or the Estates Theatre; an opera or ballet performance at the Vienna State Opera; the New Years Eve Concert at the Vienna Konzerthaus.

  Please note: The venues will announce their 2026-27 seasons in early 2026. There may be some changes to the itinerary depending on final confirmation of evening performances.

• Tour Leader and Talks: Tour Leadership and exclusive background talks by Graham Abbott.

• Tour Manager: An experienced Tour Manager to accompany the group throughout the tour.

• Hotels: 13 nights' accommodation in 5-star hotels including:

  • Four nights at Hotel Adlon Kempinki Berlin in a Deluxe Room;

  • Four nights at Aria Hotel Prague in a Deluxe King Room;

  • Five nights at Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof, Vienna in a Deluxe Room;

  • Porterage of one piece of luggage at each hotel.

• Travel: Land travel by private air-conditioned coach.

• Meals/Drinks: Full breakfast each morning. Six lunches/dinners with wine, water and tea/coffee. Welcome drinks on the first day of the tour, and drinks and canapés on Christmas Eve.

• Entry Fees and Guided Tours: Entrance fees for museums, art galleries etc. as stated in your itinerary. Expert local guides will be used at some sites.

• Tips: Tips for drivers, local guides and meals included in your itinerary.

• Information Pack: Comprehensive pre-tour information pack.

EXCLUSIONS:

• International/Domestic Travel: Hayllar Music Tours can provide you with a quote. Phone 02 9669 9181 / +61 2 9669 9181 (Australia / International) or email contact@hayllarmusictours.com

• Airport Transfers: Transfers to/from airports and hotels at the beginning and end of the tour. These can be arranged at an additional cost.

• Special Taxes: Special taxes and airport levies that can only be paid in cash at the destination. We will endeavour to advise you of these charges (if any) before you depart.

• Entry into Europe: ETIAS will start operations in the last quarter of 2026. No action is required from travellers at this point. The European Union will confirm the specific date for the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch.

• Travel Insurance: Please note that you are required to have comprehensive travel insurance to cover you for the duration of your tour. If you live in Australia, Hayllar Music Tours can organise your travel insurance for you. Please contact them at phone 02 9669 9181 / +61 2 9669 9181 (Australia / International) or email contact@hayllarmusictours.com

• Meals: Lunches and dinners not nominated in your itinerary.

• Personal Expenses: Personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls and mini-bar.

• Activities in Free Time: Costs associated with any activities suggested for you in your free time.

SMALL GROUP SIZE

The tour will operate with 8 people. The maximum number on the tour will be 20 people.

FITNESS LEVEL REQUIRED - LEVEL 2

All members of the tour must have the ability to:

• undertake walking tours of two-three hours duration, including using stairs and walking on uneven ground;

• stand for long periods in museum, art galleries etc;

• climb staircases of 100 or more steps;

• embark / disembark coaches, trains and other methods of transportation without assistance.

BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS

Please note that booking terms and conditions apply. Click here for the booking terms and conditions.

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR IN EUROPE