Europe - Hungary / Baltic HUNGARY / BALTIC Discovering Hungary The Bukk Mountains and Budapest. Two centres, 1 week - half board The Bukk Mountains rise to over 1000m to the east of Budapest. From Lillafüred we explore the network of excellent footpaths in the Bukk National Park enjoying the deciduous forests and meadows which are home to a great variety of flowers and butterflies. We begin our holiday in Budapest where we explore this fascinating city, with Buda on one bank of the Danube and Pest on the other, on foot and by public transport. From our second centre at Lillafüred, a small resort at the head of the beautiful Lake Hamori, which is surrounded by steep hillsides and where the Garadna and Szinva valleys meet, we have easy access to the Bukk Plateau. We'll use the narrow gauge Forest Railway as well as local buses to penetrate further into the Bukk, walking past modern stud farms as well as traditional charcoal burners. Overnight summary Budapest ( three), Lillafüred ( four). Highlights . Stay at the palace- like Hotel Palota in Lillafüred with its pool and sauna. . Visit Bukkszentkereszt, the highest village in Hungary. . Walks through beautiful forests, woods and open country. Accommodation We stay in good three- star hotels: the Hotel Palota in Lillafüred and the centrally situated Hotel Benczur in Budapest. Meals Half board with breakfasts and dinners taken in the hotels. Travel By road. 105 10 15 0 JFMAM JJASOND ° c BUDAPEST 138m above sea level 2357881097521 cm20 20 - 5 25 Lillafüred Budapest Bukk Mountains HUNGARY DISCOVERING HUNGARY One week Code 28200 2010 May29- Jun05£ 959 Jun05- Jun12£ 959 Sep25- Oct02£ 936 Supplement for single room£ 99 Arrival transferc25mins FlightsHeathrow- Budapest ( c2hrs 30mins), British Airways Provisional times outward depart/ return arrival 1105/ 1705 UK add- on flightsfrom £ 79 return, British Airways. Hotel Palota, Lillafüred ( Y. Gribbin) The cities and parks of Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Two weeks - half board* Flying to Tallinn, we explore the town walls and narrow winding streets up to Toompea Hill with its castle, cathedral and views over the lower town. We can walk in Kadriorg Park, visit the ruins of St Brigitta's convent at Pirita and even enjoy a swim in the Gulf of Finland. A trip to Helsinki ( only 90 minutes away by hydrofoil) is also possible. Continuing to Riga, we stop at Parnu, the ' Summer Capital of Estonia' famed for its mud baths. During our stay in Riga with its many superb Art Nouveau buildings, we explore the old town including St Peter's Church, Riga Castle and the Dome Cathedral. En- route to Vilnius, we visit Rundale in Latvia to see the 18th century palace, designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli who created St Petersburg's Winter Palace and Lithuania's Hill of Crosses. We explore Vilnius on foot, visiting the cathedral, Gediminas Hill, University and the old town, with its many spired churches. We can also visit Trakai Castle and National Park. Overnight summary Tallinn ( five), Riga ( five), Vilnius ( four). Highlights . Sightseeing in three beautiful medieval cities - wonderful buildings, churches and museums. . Walking in Lahemaa National Park, Estonia - a haven for brown bear and lynx. Accommodation We stay in good quality tourist class hotels throughout. Meals Half board.* Travel By road. * Please note: Depending on flight arrival time, dinner on the first evening may not be included. In the event that this occurs, we will provide one lunch as a substitute for this meal. Baltic Experience BALTIC EXPERIENCE Two weeks Code 27300 2010 Jul02- Jul16£ 1,223 Jul16- Jul30£ 1,223 Sep03- Sep17£ 1,223 Supplement for single room£ 343 Arrival transferby road ( c20mins) FlightsGatwick- Tallinn, Estonian Air ( c3hrs), returning Vilnius- Gatwick, via Riga ( c3hrs 30mins), Air Baltic Provisional times outward depart/ return arrival 1800/ 1225. 10 20 10 15 20 5 JFMAMJJASOND TALLINN ° c 44m above sea level 12467111085210 cm 0 - 5 - 10 - 15 Tallinn Riga Vilnius ESTONIA LATVIA LITHUANIA 32 Philharmonic Square, Riga ( G. Eastwood) Tallinn ( A. Russell)

Europe - Baltic - Germany BALTIC - GERMANY To find out more about your holiday call 01707 331133 or visit www. ramblersholidays. co. uk33 Promenades and peninsulas. One week - half board Germany's " Baltic Coast Riviera" is, for the British traveller, a largely undiscovered jewel offering miles of beautiful silver beaches interspersed with white cliffs and mature belts of regal beeches and stately limes. The Baltic Sea is a unique mixture of salt and fresh water due to the many large rivers flowing into it. The beneficial effects of mild winters and sunny springs, summers and autumns on its southern shore have been recognised since the 18th century, when Caspar David Friedrich, the foremost German Romantic artist, painted the white cliffs of Rügen. Today the area has several artists' communities, attracted not least by the magical light. Our first base is Kühlungsborn, a spa resort and one of the prettiest places on this coast. The 2 ½ mile long sea promenade, separated from the Belle Epoque villas by a long strip of protective pines, is reached in a few minutes from our hotel. Inland is the larger forested area of the Kühlung. Our second centre is on the island of Rügen. The mention of this delightful island is apt to make Germans swoon with delight. The island has a rugged outline with many peninsulas and extensive sandy beaches where amber, the gold of the Baltic, can still be found. Highlights . In Kühlungsborn we climb the highest hill of the vicinity, the 129m Diedrichshagener Berg, offering panoramic views over land and sea, and walk to the fishing village of Heiligendamm. . On the transfer day we visit the medieval Hanseatic city of Rostock, a World Heritage Site, with its red- brick cathedral and churches, and market square with high gabled and decorated merchants' houses. . On Rügen we take a boat trip to walk on the secluded island of Hiddensee and on another day walk in the Jasmund National Park to see the famous white cliffs of Rügen. Overnight summary Kühlungsborn ( three), Rügen ( four). Accommodation The ideally located Hotel Polar- Stern in Kühlungsborn is a comfortable and welcoming family owned hotel, renowned for its excellent cuisine. The delightful Atrium am Meer is in Juliusruh, a hamlet on Rügen's northern Wittow peninsula. It also has excellent food and a sauna. Both of these hotels are amongst the best in our brochure. Meals Half board with breakfast and dinners taken in the hotel. Travel Either by rail or road. The Artists' Coast 10 20 10 15 20 25 5 JFMAMJJASOND ° c ROSTOCK 37.7m above sea level 124678776321 cm - 5 0 THE ARTISTS' COAST One week Code 25650 2010 May16- May23£ 873 Jun07- Jun14£ 885 Sep04- Sep11£ 885 Supplement for single room£ 146 Arrival transferby road ( c3- 4 hours) FlightsHeathrow- Berlin Tegel ( c2hrs), British Airways Provisional times outward depart/ return arrival: 1055/ 1735 UK add on flightsfrom £ 79 return, British Airways UpgradesBusiness Class available, please ask for a competitive quote. Berlin Rostock Bergen auf Rügen Kühlungsborn GERMANYPOLAND Cape Arkona ( Tourismusverband Mecklenburg- Vorpommern) Artist at work ( Tourismusverband Mecklenburg- Vorpommern) Thatched cottage ( R. Howis)