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Founded in the 13th century Berlin’s eventful history is one of frequent, radical changes with dazzling epochs alternating with darker eras. However the formerly divided city has succeeded in becoming a vibrant metropolis set in the heart of Europe. With more than 170 museums and collections offering everything from the ancient (Egyptian Nefertiti and the Greek Pergamon Altar) to the ultra-modern.
Accommodations:
Tourist Class Kurfurst or similar (2 nights).
First Class Upstalsboom Hotel Friedrichshain or similar (2 nights).
Berlin is an exciting city of contrasts and contradictions that can be seen in the many historical and modern attractions. The Jewish Museum, opened in 2001, sits on land that was both East and West Berlin before the Berlin Wall fell and covers two millennia of German Jewish history. Monuments of Prussian grandeur stand beside reminders of a divided country alongside stunning new architectural developments
Pick up your rental car and drive from Berlin to Dresden where we have arranged your overnight stay, This will allow you a glimpse of the varying charms of Saxony’s 1000 years history. Dresden’s historical center is located on the left bank of the river Elbe. The Royal Palace was built in the15th century and having been destroyed by fire in 1701 was rebuilt but again destroyed by the bombings of 1945. It has now been reconstructed as a museum complex. The reconstruction in 2005 of the 18th century Frauenkirche church’s steeple which rises above Dresden’s skyline is an impressive symbol of international reconciliation after World War II.
Accommodations:
Tourist Class Achat Hotel Dresden or similar.
First Class Dormero Hotel or similar.
Leave Dresden and worth a stop is Modlareuth, a small village situated partly in Bavaria and partly in Thuringia. With the northern part in East Germany and the southern part in West Germany in 1966 a wall was erected splitting the village apart (like Berlin). Since 1989 the wall, together with towers, helicopter and vehicles, stand as an open air museum and tells the story about the village and its wall. Continue your drive through Bavaria to Bayreuth with its Baroque Opera House, considered the most beautifully preserved in Europe. Every summer Wagner’s operas are performed during the month-long Richard Wagner Festival. Continue on to Nuremberg where we have arranged your overnight stay. Here you will see the city’s unique mixture of modern with its almost thousand years of historical past. Life here is colorful all year round, with its green meadows on the banks of the River Pegnitz and its park containing one of Europe’s largest and most beautifully landscaped zoos. Worth a visit is the Courtroom where Nuremberg’s famous Wartime Trials took place from 1945-6. The city offers a large selection of bars, cafes and restaurants serving gourmet food to delicious local food to Turkish fast food. A great treat would be a visit to the opera or ballet at the State Theatre.
Accommodations:
Tourist Class Hotel Victoria or similar.
First Class Mercure Congress Hotel or simlar.
From Nuremberg drive to Rothenburg, Germany’s best preserved walled town. Walk through the city’s two main market streets, crammed with picture-perfect houses, cafes and restaurants. Visit the Medieval Crime Museum to explore the unusual law enforcement techniques used by local rulers in medieval times. Before leaving Rothenberg try some of the city’s authentic food, the schneeballen which is egg dough fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar or covered with chocolate.
Continue on through Bavaria to Munich, where we have arranged your overnight stay. A city of museums, romantic castles and palaces, gardens and parks, the baroque Nymphenburg Palace with Park and Pavilions was the summer residence of Bavarian monarchs and houses several outstanding art collections. Among Munich’s many museums is the Alte Pinakothek – one of the oldest and most important galleries in the world with more than 800 European art masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the Rococo period. Munich has seven Michelin-starred restaurants, and many locally owned restaurants offering regional fare and of course Germany’s famous beer gardens.
Accommodations:
Tourist Class Hotel Saint Paul or similar.
First Class Angelo Westpark or similar.
Today visit the village of Oberammergau, famous for its production of the Passion Play. First performed in 1634, as a result of a vow made by its inhabitants for God to spare them the bubonic plague then sweeping the region, it has been performed every 10th year ending with a zero. Oberammergau has a long tradition of woodcarving, and there are dozens of woodcarver shops with pieces ranging from religious subjects to toys. Many of the homes and buildings have frescoes of traditional Bavarian themes, fairy tales or religious scenes.
Accommodations:
Tourist Class Ibis Styles Hotel or similar.
First Class Arcotel Camino or similar.
From Stuttgart your drive takes you to Heidelberg, a jewel of German cities. Here you will find many places of interest. The best way to enjoy the old town is to simply wander around and see what you come upon, it doesn”t cover a particularly large area, so there”s no chance of you getting lost and you”ll find plenty of opportunities to pick up some souvenirs or stop for a coffee and some traditional local food.
Say your goodbyes to Heidelberg then travel to the 2,000-year-old city of Frankfurt, where we have arranged your overnight stay. The city has an appealing variety of historic buildings, and boasts a famous opera house, thriving theater district, scores of bars, cafes and restaurants. Frankfurt has much to offer and its open and hospitable atmosphere stems from its centuries-old role as a trading center. Enjoy the experience of traditional Frankfurt cuisine at one of the city’s many cozy cider bars and enjoy a glass of their traditional cider with small cheeses marinated in an onion sauce, or pork chops served with sauerkraut.
Accommodations:
Tourist Class Hotel Adler or similar.
First Class Hotel Mirimar or similar.
Leave Frankfurt and drive through Hesse with its densely forested upland range of mountains to the main river that flows through the region of North Rhine-Westpahlia, the River Rhine. Although parts of the area is industrial with high-tech industries, North Rhine-Wesphalia offers much rural charm and natural beauty with densely wooded rolling hills, beautiful lakes, fields and pastures, sheltered small villages and picturesque historic towns. Further up the Rhine is Cologne, one of the oldest cities in Germany and where we have arranged your overnight stay. At the beginning of the 18th century Italian expatriate Johann Farina created a new fragrance and named it after his hometown Cologne – hence Eau de Cologne (Water of Cologne). As a major cultural center of the Rhineland Cologne has a vibrant arts scene with hundreds of galleries. Cologne is also famous for its Cathedral, begun in 1248 the construction of this Gothic masterpiece took place in stages and was not completed until 1880. The city is proud to be the home of one of Europe’s oldest universities, the University of Cologne.
Accommodations:
Tourist Class Hotel Domstern or similar.
First Class Ameron Regent or similar.
Your drive from Cologne to Hamburg first takes you to the port city of Bremen. Spend some time here and visit the Marktplatz which is dominated by the Town Hall. Today it hosts a restaurant with original décor and gigantic wine barrels and whose wine list boasts over 600 German wines. This 1,200 year old city has a unique quality with its wealth of restaurants, beer gardens, riverboats and antique markets.
Continue to Germany’s biggest harbor city, Hamburg, where we have arranged your overnight stay. It is also the greenest city in Germany with its parks, tree-lined canals, protected countryside and nature reserves. Its skyline is dominated by the pale green of its copper spires and domes, though but a few houses and churches are all that is left from before the last century. The Great Fire of 1842 was the main cause of this loss, followed by the bombing during World War II. The grand building of the unique Rathaus, the city hall supported by dozens of pillars, is worth a visit. End your day as you relax in one of the many beer halls, cafes and restaurants.
Accommodations:
Tourist Class: Fuerst Bismarck.
First Class Boston Hotel or similar.
From Hamburg return to Berlin and further explore this fascinating city, where we have arranged your overnight stay. Visit the Museum of Checkpoint Charlie where a section of the Berlin Wall, once the crossing point between East and West Germany, has been re-erected as a museum. Once notorious for its cabaret nightlife, Berliners now refer to their favorite cafes, restaurants or bars as Lokale. Here you can drink and mingle with Berlin’s artists, writers, students, business people and politicians and experience the warmth and chaos of these interesting places as people become embroiled in lively discussions of art or life. Try the fizzy local beer which is served with a shot of juice.
Accommodations:
Tourist Class: Kurfurst Hotel or similar or a Tourist Class Airport Hotel.
First Class Upstalsboom Hotel Friedrichshain or similar or a First Class Airport Hotel.
Discover the diversity of this historic and picturesque country. Experience beautiful scenic landscapes, charming villages, majestic castles and palaces. Enjoy it’s lively cultured cities together with it’s excellent food and famous wines and beer.
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Lucinda K. –
The trip was fantastic!