Overview
Itinerary
Your travels of Germany begin in the capital, Berlin. With the afternoon free, perhaps walk along the bustling Ku' Damm, shopping center of West Berlin, which during 40 years of division, became the shop window of the West.
Tonight, join your Travel Director and travel companions at a local restaurant for your Welcome Dinner. (DW) Stay: Crowne Plaza Berlin City Center.
Join a Local Expert to see some of Berlin's many highlights. Travel along the Ku'Damm past the Memorial Church. Drive through the Tiergarten to see Norman Foster's glass dome that crowns the reconstructed Reichstag building. Continue with a visit to the Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of the reunification, and down along the Unter den Linden, past the Humboldt University and State Opera. Stop on Museum Island before enjoying a day at leisure in this once divided city. Perhaps take the opportunity to visit the glorious palace of the Prussian Kings at Potsdam? (B)
In Dresden, join your Local Expert to see the splendors of the city. From the Frauenkirche, which has risen again from the destruction of World War II, walk past ‘The Procession of the Princes', a mosaic of colossal proportions on the Royal Palace facade. See the huge cathedral, Semper Opera House and Baroque Zwinger Palace. Although the town was heavily bombed during World War II, it remains a treasure trove of early German history and baroque architecture. (B) Stay: Hilton Dresden.
Join a Local Expert in Weimar to explore the city of literary luminaries Goethe and Schiller. Venture to medieval Erfurt and to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the best-preserved town on the Romantic Road. Plunge back into the 16th century during your orientation with your Travel Director as you walk through narrow cobbled streets lined with high-gabled houses to the market square, dominated by its Renaissance town hall. For your Dine-Around Evening, choose from a hand-picked selection of restaurants within the walls of the Old Town. (B/DW) Stay: Hotel Altes Brauhaus, Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Enjoy an inspiring stroll through the narrow-cobbled streets with a Local Expert before taking in panoramic views on the historic city walls walk. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure for further exploration on your own, or perhaps a guided visit to the medieval town of Nuremberg. (B)
Continue your travels through to Frankfurt and take in the city's famed landmarks with a Local Expert. See the gable-roofed Römer, European Central Bank, Frankfurt Cathedral's Coronation Site, and the eminent Paulskirche. Complete your visit with a tasting of local Apfelwein. Your hotel is in the nearby town of Mainz, a bustling and important town since the time of the Romans. Enjoy a guided visit of the Gutenberg Museum, dedicated to one of history's most important inventors. (B) Stay: Hilton Mainz.
Begin the day with a relaxing cruise past steep-sided vineyards, half-timbered taverns, hilltop castles and the infamous Lorelei Rock. Stop in Bacharach on the banks of the Rhine, for a scenic stroll in the vineyards with a Local Expert. Sit down for a delicious Farm-to-Table Lunch prepared with locally sourced ingredients, and wine tasting. (B/LW)
This morning, continue your travels to Heidelberg. Visit Heidelberg Palace, one of the world's most impressive palace ruins and an icon of the Romantic Movement. Venture inside to see the Heidelberg Tun, a gigantic wine vat built into the building's cellar in 1591 and able to hold 130,000 liters. Hear its associated tales of the dwarf court jester, Perkeo. Marvel at the panoramic vistas of the city and Neckar Valley from the castle fortress.
The Black Forest is the land of cherry cake and cuckoo clocks, where traditional farmhouses dip their thatched roofs almost to the ground. Stop to meet the locals who still make cuckoo clocks by hand, a tradition passed down over 300 years. Continue to your hotel. (B/DW) Stay: Hotel Stadt Freiburg.
The best way to enjoy this enchanting region is on a lake cruise. Relax and soak up the atmosphere of the Black Forest on a guided wildlife walk with a ranger, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. On your journey, stop to meet the locals who still make cuckoo clocks by hand, a tradition passed down over 300 years. (B)
Embark on an exciting visit to Neuschwanstein Castle, bristling with turrets and pinnacles and built as a retreat for the wildly eccentric King Ludwig II. See the extravagantly decorated apartments, including the Throne Room and Lohengrin Grotto. On your return to Munich, the rest of the day is free for you to explore Bavaria's capital city. Perhaps visit one of its many art galleries and museums, or relax and enjoy a coffee in the delightful Marienplatz? (B) Stay: Munich Marriott Hotel.
Explore Munich with Insight Choice. Choose to join a Local Expert for a foodie walking tour in the city center. Alternatively, visit the famous Residenz, and see its museum and Treasury. In the evening, round off your German experience with a farewell Celebration Dinner, complete with local wine. Prost! (B/DW)
Say Auf Wiedersehen to your new friends as you trip comes to an end. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- Berlin: You Local Expert provides a tour of this vibrant city. Drive along the Ku'Damm, passing the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and through Tiergarten to the Reichstag building. See the Brandenburg Gate, State Opera House and visit Alexanderplatz.
- Dresden: Your guided tour with a Local Expert shows you the Frauenkirche, the colossal 'Procession of the Dukes' mosaic, the cathedral, Semper Opera House and Zwinger Palace. You'll also learn about the traditional German Christmas Pyramids.
- Munich: During your orientation of the city with your Travel Director, see Feldherrnhalle in the Odeonsplatz, the Palace of the Dukes of Wittelsbach, the English Garden, the Hofbräuhaus, St. Peter's Church and the famous Marienplatz.
- Neuschwanstein Castle: Visit the archetypal fairy-tale castle that allegedly inspired many of Walt Disney's castles. Led by a local historian, walk through the magnificent halls, take in the lavish decoration and enjoy spectacular views.
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Picturesque Rothenburg ob der Tauber is the best-preserved medieval town in Germany and a truly enchanting destination. Step back in time and explore the city walls, towers, and gates around the old town as well as the old town itself.
- Mainz: Your Travel Director leads you an on orientation of the city.
- Frankfurt: Take in Frankfurt's famed landmarks with a Local Expert. See the gable-roofed Römer, European Central Bank, Frankfurt Cathedral's Coronation Site, and the eminent Paulskirche. Complete your visit with a tasting of local Apfelwein.
- Mainz: Enjoy a guided visit of the Gutenberg Museum, dedicated to one of history's most important inventors.
- Rhineland: Cruise beneath the semi-ruined castles and terraced vineyards. Sleepy villages slip by as you saunter upstream to the Lorelei Rock where the enchantress lured sailors to their doom.
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Join a Local Expert for a walking tour through Rothenburg's narrow-cobbled streets.
- Heidelberg: Explore one of Germany's most enchanting cities during your orientation with your Travel Director.
- Heidelberg: Venture inside the magnificent castle built in red sandstone, overlooking the Student Prince's town. See the massive Heideleberg Tun built into the cellar in 1591, visit the Apothecary Museum and enjoy panoramic views of Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley.
- Black Forest: Discover the art of cuckoo clock making at a charming workshop in the Black Forest. Watch a demonstration by a lively artisan, while you enjoy a glass of cherry wine.
Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Munich: Embark on a foodie walking tour in the heart of Munich and authentic Bavarian cuisine.
- Munich: Visit Munich Residenz.
- Black Forest: Join Ralph, a passionate Black Forest ranger, for a fun and educative wildlife walk in the pristine biosphere. Learn about protecting the fragile ecosystem of the Spoon Valley, and stop along the way to forage aromatic herbs. This experience advances UN Global Goal 15: Life on Land.
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
- Berlin: Join your Travel Director and fellow guests at a local restaurant in the heart of Berlin for a delightful Welcome Dinner, served with wine.
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber: For your dining pleasure, you're offered an excellent selection of Rothenburg restaurants, each with its own distinctive ambience and cuisine. From local Franken specialties to international menus, your Tour Director's inside knowledge ensures a more intimate and authentic dining experience.
- Dining Summary: 4 Dinners with Wine (DW), 11 Breakfasts (B), 1 Lunch with Wine (LW)
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
- Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
- Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included
Trip Reviews (3) Most Recent 'Best of Germany' Reviews
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