IMPERIAL CITIES: EASTERN EUROPE

At a Glance

Tour Dates

21 Jul 2025 09 Aug 2025

Duration

20 Days

Tour Starts in

Folkestone, UK

Tour Leaders

Travel Distance

Approx 2490 miles

Difficulty

Roads

100% Tarmac

Hire Bikes

Available

Price From

3495 £
IMPERIAL CITIES: EASTERN EUROPE

Tour Overview

Come and join us on our fresh and epic 20 day European Explorer Tour. Starting and finishing in the UK, we’ll go on to visit France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria.

After meeting in Folkestone and travelling via LeShuttle to the continent, we’ll ride to the Belgium region of Wallonia for our first night on tour and welcome dinner. The following morning we’ll continue east to ride some of the most beautiful and least-visited regions of Europe. Initially you head to Prague, a day off here allows time to explore ‘the city of a thousand spires’, before moving north to the German Polish border town of Gorlitz. Where once this town was on the fortified line between East Germany and Poland it is now thriving, benefitting from an annual secret donation to help restore the stunning architecture to its former medieval glory. Visit the Landskron Brewery Germany’s eastern most Brauhaus, or for the WWII buffs you can take a short ride to Zagan the scene of The Great Escape and visit the camp and museum commemorating those who lost their lives as a result of this audacious escape attempt.

You ride south through the Sudetic Mountains and into the Carpathians, heading for Krakow stopping en route in the small Polish town of Ladek-Zdroj. A free day in the UNESCO listed historic centre of Krakow can be spent entirely in the Main Square, the largest Medieval Town Square in Europe, or you can visit the Royal Wawel Castle overlooking the city. Or there is always the option to take a ride to Auschwitz, visit the museum and pay your respects.

From Poland you head south with an overnight stop in a lovely Boutique hotel in Slovakia, on your way winding through the Matra Mountains to Budapest. Ranked as the second best city in the world by Conde Nast Traveller Magazine. With so much to see you will have to choose between seeing the Buda Castle, visiting Trinity square in the shadow of the charismatic Mathias church, the Kaltenburg Brewery, or just sit on the banks of the Danube drinking coffee. But don’t think that sitting on the banks of the Danube is wasting the day. This stretch of the river, in the heart of Budapest, is a UNESCO listed site as it is so beautiful.

You then have a short ride along the banks of the Danube to Bratislava where you have a day off the bike and another enchanting city to explore. Small by modern standards, the skyline of this capital is dominated by Bratislava Castle, jealously guarding the Danube. Stroll, narrow pedestrian streets of pastel 18th-century buildings or sample the myriad sidewalk cafes under the watchful gaze of the city castle.

Follow the twists and turns of the Danube and you will arrive in Vienna Austria, with enough time to take a horse and carriage tour of the city and enjoy the capital. Vienna was home to Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud but is best known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence.

The Unesco World Heritage site of Salzburg is next, divided by the Salzach River, with medieval and baroque buildings of the pedestrian Altstadt (Old City) on its left bank, facing the 19th-century Neustadt (New City) on its right. The Altstadt is the birthplace of famed composer Mozart.  Ulm allows you the chance to visit the huge Gothic Ulm Minster, a centuries-old church. Its steeple has views of the city and, in clear weather, the Alps. A 16th-century astronomical clock and the Half-timbered houses line the narrow alleys of the Fischerviertel.

A relaxed ride sees you back in France and Obernai. Nestled on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains with its charming medieval and Renaissance houses, its historic centre is surrounded by ramparts. Spend time wandering its side streets, discovering historic treasures. Our final night is spent in the capital of the Champagne wine-growing region, Reims.  For more than 1,000 years, French kings were crowned at its Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims. There’ll be time to visit the Cathedral before settling down to our farewell dinner. The following morning it’s time to head home via LeShuttle, but before that… the winding roads and French countryside awaits.

This part of the world is still crammed with ancient architecture and unspoilt roads, populated by wonderful people and is waiting to be explored by bike. For the first few days of the tour we have some fairly big mileages to get to our destinations, but the routes are packed with picturesque countryside and more regular mileages will return after the opening stint.

We both had a really good time on the Imperial Cities of Eastern Europe tour

Motorrad Tours welcome all makes and models of bike on tour. We also have a range of BMW bikes that you can hire. All our hire bikes for Classic and European Explorer Tours are current model BMW’s complete with ABS, Heated Grips, Panniers, Top Box, Tank Bag, Inner bags for all boxes and a pre programmed BMW Navigator GPS included.

Price option Solo Rider Shared Room Solo Rider Single Room *Rider and passenger
Riding Your Own Motorcycle 3495 4695 5495
Including an F800GS, F900GS or F900XR Hire Bike 5595 6795 7595
Including an R1300GS, R1250RS or R1250RT Hire Bike 5995 7195 7995
Including an S1000XR Hire Bike 6095 7295 8095
Including an R1300GS Adventure Hire Bike 6295 7495 8295
Including a K1600 Grand America Hire B0ike 6395 7595 8395
* Rider and Passenger price is for both people, not per person.

HIRE BIKES:  If you are booking with a hire bike we will hand your bike over on the afternoon prior to the first tour day.  This will give you a chance to get familiar with the bike, make any adjustments, arrange your packing and not waste any time on the first day riding.

Day 1 Meet at Folkestone and ride into the Wallonian region for the welcome dinner at our hotel

Day 2 Leaving Belgium it's another border crossing and onto Germany

Day 3 Today we arrive in Prague, capital city of the Czech Republic, “the City of a Hundred Spires,” our home for two nights

Day 4 Meander around the Old Town Square, the heart historic Prague, with its colourful baroque buildings, Gothic churches and the medieval Astronomical Clock, which gives an animated hourly show.

Day 5 Ride through the Narodni National Park crossing to Germany and our first night on the German Polish border. Wander this enchanting town, visit the Landskron Brewery or take a ride to Zagan in Poland, scene of the Great Escape

Day 6 Your ride along the Polish border through the Sudetic Mountains to our home for the night a restored Victorian residence

Day 7 On to Krakow, with the largest Medieval Town Square in the world housing St Mary's Basilica

  • The UNESCO listed Historic Centres of Prague, Vienna and Budapest
  • Ride the Sudetic, Carpathian and Strazov Mountains
  • The chance to visit Landskorn, Erb, Katlenburg and Budvar Breweries
  • The UNESCO Listed Main Square of Krakow
  • The chance to visit the Buda, Bratislava, Royal Wawel and Devin Castles
  • The chance to visit the Sedlec Ossuary – The Church of Bones
  • Plenty of days off the bike to explore these charismatic venues
  • Remarkable Architecture of Gorlitz
  • The opportunity to visit Zagan scene of the Great Escape
  • The opportunity to visit and to pay your respects at Auschwitz

The tour was fantastic, well organised, hotels great, city's unbelievable and last but not lest the tour guide was friendly, professional and a great bloke. BMW Motorrad Tours do it there way, the only way.

What's Included

  • Pre tour pack including tour information, Michelin maps, route notes and GPS routes in Garmin/BMW format
  • Electronic copy of the World of BMW Touring Essentials Book
  • All accommodation as listed in the itinerary in 4-star hotels except two 3-star
  • All breakfasts
  • Welcome and farewell dinners (excludes beverages)
  • LeShuttle Return Crossing
  • Dinner in Ladek Zdroj and one night each in Krakow and Budapest (excludes beverages)
  • Motorrad Tours Tour Leader throughout the Tour
  • Commemorative Polo shirt for all riders and passengers
  • Expert advice and support throughout
  • The protection of booking with a fully bonded tour operator

Not Included

  • Fuel
  • Lunches
  • Dinners other than those listed
  • Travel Insurance
  • Anything not listed as included
Tour Availability
From To Days Nights

21-July-2025

09-August-2025

20

19

Tour Memories

Imperial Cities of Eastern Eastern Europe

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