12 days Germany's Cultural Cities & the Romantic Road
Come to know the allure of some of its most iconic cities – Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. Tour the historic landmarks of Berlin with a local guide. Visit a café in Lubeck, the birthplace of marzipan, and take a walking tour of Hamburg’s red-light district. Spend a night in enchanting Hamelin located on the Fairytale Road and embark on a guided tour with a Pied Piper. Immerse yourself in fairytales at Rapunzel’s and Sleeping Beauty’s castles and visit the Brothers Grimm Museum. Stay two nights in charming Rothenberg on the Romantic Road and delight in a “night watchman” tour. Decide between making “Schneeball” pastries or tour the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum. Tour Neuschwanstein Castle. Indulge in a wine tasting in a cellar restaurant. Sample local beer in one of Munich’s most famous restaurants. Choose to spend time at the BMW Museum or reflect on history at Dachau Memorial. Along the way uncover this delightful country with a captivating atmosphere and a welcoming culture.
| Day | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overnight Flight. ( Not Included ) | This enchanting journey will take you to see the best of Germany as you travel to some of the country's most iconic cities and through its stunning countryside. |
| 2 | Berlin, Germany - Tour Begins | Your tour opens in Berlin, Germany’s capital. This city blends a deep history, modern flare and multi-cultural influences. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner. Dinner High 65° Low 45° 1" Crowne Plaza Berlin Potsdamer Platz |
| 3 | Berlin | This morning, enjoy a traditional city tour that features Charlottenburg Palace, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the Schoenberg City Hall, Kurfuerstendamm, the Reichstag building and a stop at “Checkpoint Charlie," the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. This afternoon you may choose to join an optional excursion outside the city to visit Potsdam and the famous Sanssouci Palace. Breakfast High 65° Low 45° 1" Crowne Plaza Berlin Potsdamer Platz |
| 4 | Berlin - Lübeck - Hamburg | Travel to Hamburg, “the Venice of the North,” with winding canals and an impressive harbor that made it a center for trade for centuries. En route, make a stop in the medieval Hanseatic League town of Lübeck, the famed birthplace of marzipan and a UNESCO World Heritage site; join a local guide for a tour of the town and have a chance to visit Café Niederegger to shop for the marzipan they have been making for 200 years. Arrive in Hamburg. Tonight, enjoy dinner out on the town. Breakfast & Dinner Reichshof Hamburg Curio By Hilton |
| 5 | Hamburg | Come to know the city on a panoramic tour that showcases the Rathaus (Town Hall), the Alster, St. Michaelis church, the city center, the beautiful Jungfernstieg promenade and, of course, the Port of Hamburg, dubbed "the gateway to the world.” Later, it’s your choice! Board a harbor boat for a narrated cruise around the massive Hamburg shipping port highlighting the key maritime sights. Or, embark on a relaxing boat cruise on Alster Lake to take in stunning views of the shoreline dotted with the homes of Hamburg’s elite. Later we gather for a walking tour of the Reeperbahn area, Hamburg’s red light district, immortalized as the place where the Beatles cultivated their fame in the early 1960s. Join in the fun with your “singing and ukulele-playing local Beatles expert” and travel down memory lane. Breakfast Reichshof Hamburg Curio By Hilton |
| 6 | Hamburg - Bremen - Hamelin | Today’s first stop is in Bremen, at the beginning of the Fairy Tale Road. Join a local guide for a walking tour of the quaint town featuring the musicians of Brothers Grimm fame, the Town Hall (UNESCO), and ending in the medieval Schnoor district. After free time for lunch, travel to Hamelin, made famous by the Pied Piper legend from the stories of the Brothers Grimm. Feel like you have stepped into a storybook when the “Pied Piper of Hamelin” plays delightful tunes while he leads you on a discovery walk through Hamelin with its charming Tudor-style architecture. Breakfast Hotel Stadt Hamelin |
| 7 | Hamelin - Trendelburg and Sababurg Castles - Kassel - Marburg | This morning you are transported back to childhood as you come face to face with the real life places that inspired the fairy tale classics. First, meet a local storyteller at the famed “Rapunzel’s Castle” – Trendelburg. Continue on to Reinhardswald, home to Sleeping Beauty’s castle – Sababurg. Have time to explore the enchanting grounds before traveling to Kassel, home to the Brothers Grimm Museum. At the museum, an expert will lead you on a tour through the interactive displays that bring you through the life of the Grimm Brothers. Journey to the medieval university town of Marburg with its endless alleys and stairways that lead to the castle perched above. Breakfast & Dinner Vila Vita Hotel Marburg |
| 8 | Marburg - Würzburg - Rothenburg ob der Tauber | Journey to the perfectly preserved medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the middle of the famous Romantic Road and in the heart of the Franconia wine region. En route, make a stop in Würzburg, a Bavarian wine town known for its lavish Baroque and Rococo architecture. You will enjoy time to explore the town on your own before continuing to Rothenburg, located high on a plateau overlooking the Tauber River. Arrive at your city center hotel, the perfect location to discover this captivating town. Take an evening stroll to a local restaurant where you’ll enjoy a tasting of local wines followed by a traditional German dinner. Later, join a colorfully costumed local expert for the famous “Night Watchman” walking tour of the medieval town. Breakfast & Dinner High 65° Low 46° 2" Hotel Altes Brauhaus |
| 9 | Rothenburg ob der Tauber | It’s your choice! Walk to a local bakery to sample “schneeball” pastries – snowballs – the locals' favorite treat! Or, tour the Medieval Crime and Justice Museum. Later, we gather to spend time at the famous Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Museum where you will be treated to a private tour, enjoy an ornament-making demonstration, and shop for handmade Christmas ornaments. The remainder of the day is yours to do as you choose. Breakfast High 65° Low 46° 2" Hotel Altes Brauhaus |
| 10 | Rothenburg ob der Tauber - Neuschwanstein Castle - Munich | Leave Rothenburg behind and make your way through mountains and along winding country roads for a tour inside the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Built by “crazy” King Ludwig II, it is the most photographed castle in Germany. Next, continue to Munich, the exciting capital of Bavaria. Your evening is free to explore the city independently. Breakfast High 63° Low 44° 4" Sheraton Munich Arabellapark Hotel |
| 11 | Munich | Come to know the energy of this lively and fascinating city during a panoramic walking tour that highlights the world-famous Glockenspiel and Marienplatz – a beautiful square surrounded by shops, restaurants and cafés. This afternoon, it’s your choice! Join a local guide and venture to the innovative BMW World to learn the history of this dynamic global automaker; then ride to the top of the Olympic Tower to take in stunning views of the Munich cityscape. Or, embark on a poignant journey through history as you travel* to the Dachau Memorial; a local expert guides you through the former concentration camp where you will learn firsthand about the terrors as well as the resilience of the human spirit that occurred within those walls. The remainder of your day is at leisure. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a beer tasting followed by a farewell dinner in one of Munich’s most famous restaurants. Breakfast & Dinner High 63° Low 44° 4" Sheraton Munich Arabellapark Hotel |
| 12 | Munich - Tour Ends | This morning your tour comes to a close. Breakfast |