Suggested Flights:

• 4:50 p.m. (previous day) Depart Boston on Lufthansa - LH423 (code share with United Airlines - UA8852)
• 5:40 a.m. Arrive Frankfurt

Connect to:

• 7:15 a.m. Depart Frankfurt on Lufthansa – LH1050
• 8:15 a.m. Arrive Dresden

Private transfer to hotel.

Lunch at leisure.

Walking Tour with Eva Curth. Two-hour in-depth walking tour of the center of Dresden including architecture of the Castle, Zwinger, Semper Opera House, Brühl Terrace, Fürstenzug, Stallhof, Hofkirche and Frauenkirche.

Semper Opera House
The Semper Opera House was first constructed in the late 17th century. It underwent several reconstructions, in particular in 1841 by Gottfried Semper, before it was destroyed by fire in 1869. The current structure was built between 1871 and 1878 by Manfred Semper based on designs by his father, and owes its form to the Italian Renaissance. The tiered façade comprises two stories of arcades, surmounted by a third in recess. Each side wall is furnished with two niches, occupied on the left by statues of Shakespeare and Sophocles, and on the right, Molière and Euripides.

FÜrstenzug
On the Augustusstrasse, between the Schlossplatz and the Neumarkt, is the Fürstenzug (“Princely Procession”). A wall frieze made of Meissen porcelain tiles. This monumental tapestry in the style of the Italian Renaissance represents the triumphal procession of the Wettin dynasty of princes, from the first margraves via the electors to the penultimate king. The work was commissioned in 1889 on the occasion of the Wettin anniversary. Initially it was executed by Wilhelm Walther as graffito using two layers of contrasting plaster. The technique however proved to be insufficiently weather-resistant and so the present porcelain tiles were installed. Very easy to identify is the figure of August the Strong, who, mounted on his proud steed is the only prince galloping.

Stallhof
The Stallhof (“Royal Stables”) was a courtly festival ground for medieval tournaments. The court itself is classically organized rectangle featuring Tuscan Dopric columns supporting a richly-ornamented upper level embellished with coats of arms of the regions of Saxony, antlers and lime-plaster paintings. The Langer Gang, the street in front, once linked the palace with the stables. The horse pond and the ramp leading down to it still remain on one side of the courtyard.

Katholische Hofkirche (Cathedral)
The enormous Catholic Cathedral was built between 1738 and 1754 following the conversion of the Albertines to Roman Catholicism, the condition of their accession to the Polish throne. It is the largest church in Saxony. The building, strongly influenced by Italian Baroque, is dominated by an 86-meter bell-tower and decorated with statues of the saints and apostles, mainly on the attics. Above the high altar, a fine painting by Anton Raphael Mengs depicts the Ascension. The pulpit was executed by Permoser in 1722, while the organ was the last work of the master craftsman Gottfried Silbermann. The tombs of several kings and princes of Saxony can be seen in the crypt.

Frauenkirche
This mighty domed building, the principal work of the architect George Bäh, was built in 1726. The famous 23 ½ meter diameter dome, which so characterizes the silhouette of the town, was completed in 1738. This place of worship was the most important testimony to Protestant church building, right up until it fell victim to the air attacks of February 1945. The sea of flames heated up the sandstone to such an extent that it burst and the eight pillars were no longer able to bear the weight of the 5800-ton stone dome. On the morning of February 15, it collapsed with such force that the floor of the church was broken open. The ruin of the Frauenkirche symbolized the destruction of the town and stood as a witness and memorial until after the reunification of Germany. The reconstruction of its exterior was completed in 2004, its interior in 2005 and after 13 years of rebuilding, the church was re consecrated on 30 October 2005 with festive services lasting through the Protestant observance of Reformation Day on 31 October.

Welcome cocktails and dinner in the hotel.

Overnight: Kempinski Taschenbergpalais, Dresden.

Buffet breakfast in the hotel.

Private closing-day visit of the Old Masters collection at the Zwinger.

Zwinger Palace and Dresden State Art Collections
The Zwinger Palace was designed by Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann in 1722 and became the star attraction in the city's rich cultural heritage. It was renowned for its collection of works of art and scientific treasures but was mostly destroyed by the carpet bombing raids of February 13-15, 1945. In a referendum after World War II, the people of Dresden voted to restore the building. There was an overwhelming preference to rebuild the glories of the city instead of making way for the architecture of socialist realism then prevalent in the German Democratic Republic.
Today, the palace houses a large part of the Dresden State Art Collections, now among the world's leading museums. Having grown out of the Saxon Electors' Kunstkammer (Art Chamber), which had been founded in the 16th century as a general, encyclopedic collection, it took on its present-day characteristics in the 18th century in accordance with the artistic tastes of two kings: Augustus II the Strong and Augustus III.
From the time of his accession, Augustus the Strong promoted the extension and systematic development of the collections. Around 1720, the first specialist collections were set up under his direction, including the Green Vault, the Sculpture Collection and the Cabinet of Prints and Drawings. From the early 18th century onwards, the collections as a whole were supervised by an overall management office. This organizational form came to an end in 1946, when the collections were removed to the Soviet Union. After their return in 1955 to 1958, the Dresden State Art Collections were reorganized and a General Director’s office installed again. Today, the Dresden State Art Collections include: the Old Masters Picture Gallery, the Cabinet of Prints and Drawings, the Puppet Theater Collection, the Porcelain Collection, the Armory, the Museum of Saxon Folk Art, the Museum of Arts and Crafts, and the Central Library, as well as the collections currently housed in the Albertinum, (Modern Masters Picture Gallery), the Coin Cabinet, and the Sculpture Collection.

Old Masters Collection
The Dresden Old Masters Picture Gallery was created in the first half of the 18th century by Augustus II the Strong and his son, Augustus III. Over a period of less than 60 years, these two art-loving Electors expanded the collections they had inherited from the Kunstkammer and developed them into one of Europe's premier picture galleries.
As well as Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces by Italian painters such as Raphael, Giorgione, Titian, Correggio, Tintoretto, Bellotto and Guercino, the collection contains a large number of 17th-century Flemish and Dutch paintings by Rubens, Jordaens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt and Vermeer. Outstanding works by Spanish, French and German painters are also among the gallery's attractions.
An appropriate architectural setting for the gallery was created by Gottfried Semper, who designed the gallery building adjacent to the Zwinger. This was built between 1848 and 1856. Following more than four years of restoration, Semper's building re-opened in 1992 and now houses over 760 paintings.

Coffee break mid-morning.

Lunch at Intermezzo Restaurant.

Private closing-day visit of the Albertinum Galerie Neue Meister (New Masters Gallery) with visit of the sculpture collection.

Albertinum
The Albertinum is named for the Saxon King Albert, who between 1884 and 1887 converted this royal arsenal into a home for a vast collection of art. On the first floor the sculpture collection is exhibited while the upper floor holds the Gemäldegalerie Neue Meister, a collection of 19th and 20th-century art, from Corot to Otto Dix. Of particular note are the desolate and haunting landscapes of Caspar David Friedrich, the German Romantic artist. Impressionists and post-impressionists are well represented, including Gauguin, Degas, Manet, Monet, Corinth, Liebermann, Klimt, and van Gogh. Antifascist artists, whose works were often destroyed or banned in the Nazi era, are also on display.

Private after-hours visit of the Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Decorative Arts) located in Pillnitz Palace followed by dinner in the Yellow Salon of the Palace.

Schloss Pillnitz
From the official residence in Dresden, the Saxon court liked to sail up the River Elbe in magnificent boats to Pillnitz. The Wasserpalais (Riverside Palace) with its splendid chinoiseries and the grand flight of steps linking it with the river was built between 1720 and 1724. Pöppelmann, favorite architect of the electors, was responsible for the original building, later to be joined by the Neues Palais (New Palace) and the Bergpalais (Hillside Palace) to complete the architectural ensemble. All the buildings are set in landscaped gardens. Today Pillnitz houses the extensive collections of Decorative Arts Dresden State Art Collections

Overnight: Kempinski Taschenbergpalais, Dresden.

Buffet breakfast in hotel.

Special closing-day visit of the Green Vault .

Green Vault
The Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault) is located in the castle in the center of Dresden. The name comes from the green-painted room that originally contained this famous treasury. The collection was founded by Augustus II the Strong in 1723 and features a unique and rich variety of some 1,080 objects dating from the Renaissance to the Baroque and Classical periods. During World War II several of the rooms were damaged by bombs, but the treasure itself was stored safely away. The Soviet army seized the treasures in 1945, but returned them to the German Democratic Republic in 1958. Reopened in September 2004, the Green Vault is now composed of two parts; the New Green Vault and the Historic Green Vault. The New Green Vault presents the majority of the objects in a new state-of-the-art climate controlled museum on the second floor of the castle. A circular tour through the ten display rooms focuses on many of the collection’s major works, including the Golden Coffee Set, the Royal Household of the Grand Mogul and the Ivory Frigate with its paper-thin sails, as well as the exceedingly precious Green Diamond hat clasp and the Cherry Stone carved with 185 tiny human faces. The Historic Green Vault on the ground floor of the castle recreates the original 18th century setting that its founder created to display his treasure to visiting dignitaries.

Coffee Break.

Visit of Mathematical Physical Salon.

Transfer to Moritzburg.

Lunch at Waldshaenke near the Pheasant Pavillion.

Pheasant Pavilion
The shell-pink Fasanenschlösslein ("little pheasant castle") takes its name from the fact that pheasants were once bred here for Augustus the Strong’s hunting parties. The pavilion stands on a formal island in the lake of Moritzburg. It has a “Chinese” profile with a high roof capped by an open cupola with a pair of Chinese figures under a parasol as a finial. On its garden side, twin staircases descend to a sunken parterre. The design was completed about 1776 by Johann Daniel Schade (1730-1798) the architect in charge of royal building projects.

Visit of Moritzburg.

Moritzburg
Schloss Moritzburg was originally built from 1542–1546 as a hunting lodge for Duke Moritz of Saxony. Between 1723 and 1733, the castle was remodeled as a pleasure seat with formal park for Augustus II the Strong by Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann and Longeloune. Dedicated to the courtly art of formal hunting, the collection of red deer antlers is considered to be the largest in the world. In the Monströsensaal ("Monstrosity Room") are 39 morbidly contorted antlers, one of them the famous 66-point antler. The Elector's apartments contain wonderful examples of lacquer and splendid parade furniture, the silver furniture made in Augsburg in emulation of Louis XIV's silver furniture at Versailles, and Chinese, Japanese and Meissen porcelain as well as fine engraved and inlaid hunting weapons. The most unusual room however is the feather room in which millions of multi-colored feathers are woven into wall coverings and bed hangings. This room was reopened in 2005 after 20 years of restoration.

Return to Dresden.

Private reception and dinner in the sculpture garden of a private collector.

Overnight: Kempinski Taschenbergpalais, Dresden.

Buffet breakfast in the hotel.

Transfer to Meissen via the kaolin mine just outside of Meissen and castle in Meissen where porcelain was first manufactured from 1710-1865.

Visit of Meissen porcelain manufacture including demonstration workshops and museum.

Meissen
After a number of false starts, such as the so-called Medici porcelain, the European search for the secret of porcelain manufacture ended in 1708 with the discovery by Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus and Johann Friedrich Böttger of a number of ingredients, including Colditz clay (a type of kaolin), calcined alabaster and quartz, that proved to be suitable for making a hard, white, translucent porcelain.
Tschirnhaus and Böttger worked for Augustus the Strong, at Dresden and in Meissen. A workshop note records that the first specimen of hard, white European porcelain was produced in January, 1708. The research was still underway when Tschirnhaus died in October of that year. Böttger reported his findings to Augustus in March 1709.
The Meissen factory was established in 1710, following the development of a kiln and a glaze suitable for use with the newly developed material, which required firing at very high temperatures (greater than 1350 degrees Celsius) to achieve translucence required.
Meissen porcelain was once-fired or green-fired in the Chinese manner and was noted for its great resistance to thermal shock; so much so that a visitor to the factory in Böttger's time reported having seen a white-hot teapot being removed from the kiln and dropped into cold water, without damage. Evidence to support this widely disbelieved story was given in the 1980s, when the procedure was repeated in an experiment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Coffee break mid morning in the elegant café.

Transfer to Schloss Proschwitz.

Tasting lunch and winery visit at Schloss Proschwitz personally hosted by owner.

Schloss Proschwitz
The Schloss Proschwitz wine estate was founded in 1161, making it the oldest and largest privately owned winery in East Germany. It is the only winery in East Germany to be a member of the much acclaimed VDP French wine category.
Until 1539 Schloss Proschwitz was owned by the bishops of Meissen, who supplied the sacramental wine to all of Saxony. During the following centuries it was owned by various aristocratic families until it was confiscated by the communist regime in 1945.
In 1991, Dr. Georg Prinz von Lippe bought the estate for his family. The estate comprises over 51 hectares of fine vineyards, planted with various white grape varietals such as Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Gris, Elbling, Traminer, Morio-Muskat, Scheurebe, Goldriesling and pinot noir and Dornfelder as red varietals.

Return to Dresden.

Remainder of the afternoon at leisure.

Private after-hours visit of the porcelain collection at the Zwinger followed by cocktails and seated dinner in the museum.

Porcelain Collection
The Porcelain Collection, located in the Zwinger since 1962, is based on the extensive collection of Chinese, Japanese and Meissen porcelain (often referred to as 'Dresden China') assembled by Augustus the Strong. Even during Augustus’s time, this unique collection comprised about 50,000 objects, which were to have been exhibited in the Japanese Palace (Japanisches Palais) in Dresden-Neustadt across the river. In a word this is the epitome of a “Princely Collection”.
The development of Meissen porcelain from the time of its invention in 1708 until the late 18th century is illustrated by works of supreme artistry. Of particular interest are the small figures and large animals by Johann Joachim Kaendler and the colored chinoiserie and flower painting by Johann Gregorius Hoeroldt and his workshop. The largest collection of Böttger stoneware and Böttger porcelain is on display in the first-floor pavilion.

Overnight: Kempinski Taschenbergpalais, Dresden.

Buffet breakfast in the hotel.

Depart Dresden for Nelahozeves Castle.

Arrive at Nelahozeves Castle – welcome drink and talk with William Lobkowicz followed by visit of castle including treasures from the library.

Nelahozeves Castle
The fine art galleries in the Castle are located on the first and second floors and include three family portrait rooms, a majolica room, a room devoted to Beethoven memorabilia, and a dining room as well as the stunning 'Knight's Hall' with its massive stone fireplace.
The castle archives include a library holding 65,000 volumes, including letters signed by 12th century Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and 4,500 musical manuscripts with priceless autographed scores by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.

Buffet lunch with William Lobkowicz in the Knights Hall of the castle.

Continue to Prague.

Hotel check-in.

Remainder of the afternoon at leisure.

Cocktails and dinner on the Allegro Terrace with a spectacular view of the Vltava river and Prague Castle.

Overnight: Four Seasons, Prague

Buffet breakfast in the hotel.

Walking Tour – river view orientation, Charles Bridge, Old Town Hall, Town Square and church of Our Lady before Tyn.etc. (including mid-morning coffee break in a café).

Charles Bridge
The defense towers on either end of the 600-year-old bridge offer a view of the city from above. Lining either side of the pedestrians-only bridge are the statues of 30 saints.
Powder Gate (PraŠnÁ brÁna)
The Powder Tower was begun in 1475 during the reign of King Vladislav II Jagiello to form one of the 13 entrances to the Old Town. The gate acquired its present name in the 17th century when it was used to store gunpowder.
CeletnÁ Street (CeletnÁ ulice)
Named after the plaited bread rolls that were first baked here in the Middle Ages, Celetná Street is a pedestrianised lane from the Old Town square to the Powder Tower. There are lots of architecturally and historically important houses, such as At the Three Kings, At the White Lion, At the Black Sun and At the Vulture. The most interesting one is the Cubist facade on the House of the Black Madonna.
Estates Theatre (StavovskÉ divadlo)
Built in 1783, this is Prague's oldest theatre and the finest example of Neo-Classicism in the city. Mozart's opera “Don Giovanni” had its premiere here on October 29, 1834 followed by the musical comedy “Fidlovaèka”. One of the songs became the Czech national anthem.
Carolinum (Karolinum)
Founded by Emperor Charles IV on 7 April 1348, the Carolinum is the oldest university north of the Alps.
Old Town Square (StaromÌstskÉ nÁmÌstÍ)
Being Prague's heart since the 10th century and its main market place until the beginning of the 20th century, the Old Town Square has been the scene of great events, both glorious and tragic.
Church of Our Lady Before TÝn (Kostel Panny Marie pØed TÝnem)
This Gothic church was built in 1365 on the site of an earlier Romanesque church. Its magnificent multiple steeples are 80m high and dominate the square. Between the early 15th century and the year of 1620 it was the main Hussite church in Prague. The beautiful entrance portal, decorated with scenes of Christ's passion and a huge Rococo altar on the northern wall are the church’s most striking features.
KinskÝ Palace (PalÁc KinskÝch)
Built between 1755 and 1765 by Anselmo Lurago according the designs of Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, this is the most beautiful Rococo building in Prague. In February 1948 Klement Gottwald proclaimed communist rule in Czechoslovakia from the palace balcony. Nowadays, the Kinský palace belongs to the National Gallery.
Jan Hus Monument (PomnÍk Jana Husa)
Completed in 1915 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the death of Jan Hus, the Czech Hussite reformer, the massive monument dominates the square. It shows two groups of people, a young mother symbolizing national rebirth and the figure of Hus emphasizing the moral authority of the man who gave up life rather than his beliefs.
Old Town Hall (StaromÌstskÁ radnice)
The Old Town's ancient town hall was established in 1338 after King John of Luxemburg agreed to set up a town council. The most popular part of the tower is the Town Hall Clock (Orloj). Originally installed in 1410, the clock was rebuilt by the Master Hanuš in 1490. It consists of three parts – the procession of Apostles, the astronomical clock and the calendar. The main attraction is the hourly procession of the 12 Apostles.
Clam Gallus Palace (Clam-GallasÙv palÁc)
Named after the wealthy patron of the arts, Václav Gallas, this outstanding Baroque palace was built by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach between 1713 and 1719. There are statues by Matthias Bernhard Braun and a theatre where Beethoven performed his works. The palace today houses the Municipal Archives of Prague.
Charles Street (Karlova ulice)
Originally called Jesuits street, in the 12th century this narrow medieval street was part of the Royal Route and it has always connected the Old Town by way of Charles Bridge with the Old Town Square. There are several original Gothic and Renaissance houses, such as the Colloredo-Mansfeld Palace, At the French Crown, the Schönfeld Palace, At the Blue Pike, At the Golden Snake.
Grand Cafe Orient and Cubism in Prague
The original Grand Cafe Orient opened in 1912 in the House of the Black Madonna, a department store designed by Josef Gocar, one of the founders of the Czech Cubist movement. Cubism was first formulated by Pablo Picasso and George Braque in Paris and was soon taken up enthusiastically by Czech architects and designers, who made their own distinctive contribution to the style. During the 1910s and 1920s, artists such as Josef Gocar, Pavel Janak, Josef Chochol and Vlastislav Hofman applied Cubist principles to architecture and decorative arts. Gocar in particular pioneered the application of Cubist design principles to furniture. Gocar's House of the Black Madonna - with its gabled front, Cubist-shaped entrance and internal spiral staircase - is an early example of the style.

• Welcome and introductory talk in Spanish Synagogue by Jewish Museum Director
• Cemetery
• Pincus Synagogue memorial
• Old-New Synagogue  

Prague Jewish Quarter (JOSEFOV)
Prague’s Jewish Quarter is named after the emperor Josef II, whose reforms helped to ease living conditions for the Jewish population.  The Jewish Quarter contains the remains of Prague's former Jewish ghetto. As many of the Jewish died during the WWII and were forced by the communist regime to leave the country. There are two figures synonymous with this part of the city, Franz Kafka (1883 – 1924) and the mystical humunculus Golem created by Jehuda ben Bezalel, also known as Rabi Löw.
Spanish Synagogue (ŠpanìlskÁ synagÓga)
Built in 1868 the Spanish synagogue was named after its striking Moorish-style interior.
Old Jewish Cemetary (StarÝ židovskÝ hØbitov)
Founded in 1478, it is Europe's oldest surviving Jewish cemetery. People had to be buried on top of each other because of lack of space. There are about 12 layers and over 12,000 gravestones. 100,000 people are thought to have been buried here; the last one was Moses Beck in 1787.
Old-New Synagogue (StaronovÁ synagÓga)
Built around 1270, it is the oldest working synagogue in Europe and one of Prague's earliest Gothic buildings. On the eastern wall is the Holy Ark in which the Torah scrolls are kept, on the walls are Hebrew biblical abbreviations.

Private visit of the Municipal House ending with cocktail reception – informal talk on the transition economy of the Czech State followed by dinner.

Municipal House (ObecnÍ dÙm)
Built on the site of the royal court between 1906 and 1912, this is Prague's most prominent Art Nouveau building. It was meticulously restored a few years ago and is a unique testament to the art and architecture of the early 20th century.  Above the main entrance is the impressive monumental mosaic “Homage to Prague" by Karel Špillar. Inside, the Smetana Hall is the biggest concert hall in Prague, a number of smaller halls, plus conference rooms and offices, cafés and restaurants to relax and enjoy the inner decoration. On 28 October 1918, the Czechoslovakian Republic was proclaimed here and meetings between Civic Forum and the communist regime were held in the building in November 1989.

Overnight: Four Seasons, Prague.

Buffet breakfast in our hotel.

Prague Castle complex.

Begin with the Royal Palace – private behind-the-scenes visit (official residence of President Vàclav Klaus) continue to St Vitus Cathedral, St George’s Basilica, Chapel of the Holy Cross, the Royal Garden and Golden Lane.

Prague Castle
Prague Castle was constructed in the 9th century by Prince Boøivoj, the castle evolved from a wooden fortress surrounded by earthen bulwarks to the imposing form it has today. Rulers made their own additions so there is a mixture of styles.

St Vitus Cathedral (KatedrÁla Sv. VÍta)
The cathedral's foundation stone was laid in 1344 by Emperor Charles IV. The first architect was Matthias of Arras, after his death Petr Parler took over and completed much of the structure in late-Gothic style. Over the following centuries Renaissance and Baroque details were added but the cathedral was not truly completed until 1929. The most beautiful of numerous side chapels, Parler's Chapel of St Wenceslas, houses the crown jewels and the tomb of “Good King” Wenceslas.

Basilika of St. George (Bazilika Sv. JiØÍ)
Founded by Prince Vratislav I in the 10th century, this is the best preserved Romanesque church in Prague. There are tombs of Pøemysl royalty. The acoustics make it a good venue for classical concerts.

Golden Lane (ZlatÁ uliÈka)
Named after the goldsmiths who lived here in the 17th century, Golden Lane is popular with its tiny colorful houses built right into the arches of the Castle walls. In the 18th and 19th centuries they were occupied by squatters, later it was the home of the writer France Kafka (house 22) and the Nobel-laureate poet Jaroslaf Seifert.

Lunch at Lobkowicz Palace in the Prague castle complex.

Visit of the Princely Collections of the Lobkowicz Palace.

Dinner at Kampa Park Restaurant. 

Walk home across Charles Bridge (car transfer for those who prefer not to walk).

Overnight: Four Seasons, Prague.

Buffet breakfast in the hotel.

Hradcany – Visit of church of Our Lady of Loreto, walking tour of palaces on Hradcanske Square.

The Loreta (Loreta)
This extraordinary Baroque pilgrimage church was built in 1626 with funds donated by Countess Lobkowicz. The grandiose design was part of Ferdinand II's campaign to re-catholicize the Czechs.

Schwarzenberg Palace (ŠvancenberskÝ palÁc)
Built originally for the Lobkowicz family it passed through several hands before the Schwarzenbergs acquired it in 1719. There has been a Museum of Military history here since 1945.

Archbishop's Palace (ArcibiskupskÝ palÁc)
Bought by Ferdinand I in 1562 for the first Catholic Archbishop it has been the seat of archbishops ever since. In the period following 1621 the palace became a powerful symbol of the Catholic domination of the city as well as the Czech lands. 

Èernín Palace (ÈernÍnskÝ palÁc)
This palace was built in 1668 for the Imperial Ambassador to Venice. It was badly damaged in 1757 when Prussia bombarded Prague and almost 100 years later sold to the state. Since 1918, it has been home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1948 the foreign minister, democrat and anti-communist, Jan Masaryk fell to his death from one of the bathroom windows. It is still unclear whether it was a suicide or a murder planned by the communist secret service.

Private visit of Geraldine Mucha’s house. (daughter-in-law of Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha) .

Alfonso Mucha
The lush and expressive posters Mucha designed in Paris - most famously of the actress Sarah Bernhardt - have been reproduced many times the world over. Today his legacy is overseen by the artist’s grandson John and daughter-in-law, Geraldine Mucha, living in Prague. Geraldine is an accomplished and internationally respected composer, and at 90 is still hard at work, living in the beautiful and romantically impractical 18th century house on Hradcanske Square which has been her home for most of the last 50 years.
Alfonso Maria Mucha was born in the town of Ivančice, Moravia. When he left school, he worked painting theatrical scenery in Moravia. In 1879 he moved to Vienna to work for a leading Viennese theatrical design company but when a fire destroyed his employer's business in 1881 he returned to Moravia as a freelance painter. Count Karl Khuen of Mikulov hired Mucha to decorate Hrušovany Emmahof Castle with murals, and was impressed enough that he agreed to sponsor Mucha's formal training at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts.In 1887 he moved to Paris to continue his studies and in 1894, he produced the artwork for a lithographed poster advertising Sarah Bernhardt at the Theatre de la Renaissance. This poster art won him fame and numerous commissions.
The rising tide of fascism in the late 1930s led to Mucha's works, as well as his Slavic nationalism, being denounced in the press as 'reactionary'. When German troops marched into Czechoslovakia in the spring of 1939, Mucha was among the first people to be arrested by the Gestapo. During the course of the interrogation the aging artist fell ill with pneumonia. Though eventually released, he never recovered and dies in July 1939.

Lunch at leisure.

Afternoon at leisure
OR
Optional Visits:

• Gardens: Castle gardens, Ledebourg, Palffy, Wallenstein and Vrtba Gardens.
• Sternberg Palace - National Gallery - Old Masters Collection with curator.

Sternberg Palace (ŠternberskÝ palÁc)
The Sternberg Palace is named after Franc Josef Sternberg, who founded the Society of Patriotic Friends of the Arts in Bohemia in 1796. The palace is now home to the European Masters collection of the Czech Nation and is just one of seven venues for the National collections in the capital. The chronological survey of European Art from the 14th to 18th centuries is laid out over several floors and presents works by early Italian masters such as Bernardo Daddi, Lorenzo Monaco and Venetian school works from the Vivarini workshop, masterpieces of Florentine Mannerism by Bronzino and Allori and an impressive collection of older Netherlandish painting including a triptych by Geertgen tot Sint Jan and the monumental altarpiece by Jan Gossaert called Mabuse as well as works by Tintoretto, Ribera, Tiepolo, El Greco, Goya, Rubens and van Dyck. The collection of Flemish and Dutch masters is dominated by works of Rembrandt, Franz Hals, Terborch, Ruysdale and van Goyen.

Strahov Monastery (StrahovskÝ klÁŠter)
Founded in 1140 by Prince Vladislav II, the library at Strahov Monastery is the oldest and largest, collection of literature in the Czech Republic. The library contains over 200,000 volumes of literature. The oldest manuscripts are from a summary of the Gospels that date back to the 10th century. There are two buildings to hold the collection - Theological Hall (built in 1679) and Philosophical Hall (built in 1783). Each building is as impressive as the library collection, being decorated with frescoes and containing other works of art. In 1950, the Communist government closed the monastery and established it as part of the Museum of National Literature along with the Picture Gallery. After the fall of Communism, the collection was returned to the Strahov Premonstratensians.

Cocktails and dinner in the summer refectory of the monastery.  String Quartet to entertain.

Individual departures with private transfers

Suggested Flights:

• 6:15 a.m. Depart Prague on Lufthansa - LH3267
• 7:30 a.m. Arrive Frankfurt

OR

• 7:20 a.m. Depart Prague on Czech Airlines - OK534
• 8:35 a.m. Arrive Frankfurt

Connect to

• 11:00 a.m. Depart Frankfurt on Lufthansa - LH422 (code share with United Airlines - UA8853)

1:10 p.m. Arrive Boston