German Highlights in deep 2010

Frankfurt- Koblenz- Bacharach- Cologne- Eisenach - Erfurt- Dresden- Meissen- Leipzig- Salzburg- Garmisch-Partenkirchen - Fussen- Frankfurt

16 days / self drive


1st Day / Arrival Frankfurt

Arrival at Frankfurt Airport. Pick up your rental car and drive to Koblenz to your hotel for check-in.

Welcome to Koblenz

Situated in the picturesque landscape of the Rhine and Moselle and surrounded by four low mountain ranges is the 2000-year-old town of Koblenz. Its abundance of cultural monuments and historic buildings, its cosy lanes and narrow alleyways, the relaxed and happy atmosphere of its squares and river promenades make Koblenz a friendly town where its guests feel right at home.
The view from Ehrenbreitstein Fortress high above the Rhine (118 metres) across the river down to "Deutsches Eck" with its re-erected equestrian statue of Emperor William I, is spectacular.

Get your first impression of the city on your own.
Dinner under your own arrangements.

2nd Day / Koblenz

Breakfast.

In the morning enjoy a city tour with an English speaking licensed guide. You will see the Basilica St. Kastor, the Liebfrauenchurch, Emperor Wilhelm monument and the Schlaengel-Fountain at the town hall.


Remainder of the day and dinner under your own arrangement.

3rd Day / Koblenz

Breakfast.

Today you will have the chance to take a cruise on the river Rhine. Along this tour, you will see beautiful landscapes, charming towns and lovely wine yards.

Lunch on your own. In the afternoon visit Bacharach.

Welcome to Bacharach

Bacharach's very name points out the town's Celtic roots.
Stahleck Castle, which was built in the 11th Century, was initially the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne's reeves. Later on Bacharach belonged to the house of Wittelsbach for almost 600 years until the French revolution. Bacharach enjoyed an economic boom in the middle ages from the start of the 13th century. The town's favourable location on the Rhine meant that Bacharach was the key trading, storage and transfer point for wine and wood. With the exception of the Bacharach toll, which was the main source of income for the state's lords, Bacharach rose to fame around the world for its wine. The town's political importance grew hand in hand with its increasing trade. Its economic downfall came about with the Thirty Years' War. In the years that followed, the town lost its leading position as the largest wine warehousing location - this was also due to the excessively high tolls on the Rhine.
The town allows its guests to experience real history and enjoy the pure romance of the Rhine. In the 19th century, Victor Hugo described Bacharach as being one of the "world's prettiest towns".

Enjoy a guided city tour through Bacharach with an English speaking guide.
Get to know some of the famous buildings and historical features. You will learn interesting information on the town, the Rhine and the town's inhabitants over the years.

Transfer back to Koblenz.
Remainder of the day and dinner under your own arrangement.

4th Day / Koblenz- Cologne

Breakfast and check out.

Continue to Cologne to your hotel for check-in.

Welcome to Cologne

Cologne is the oldest major city in Germany. The name Cologne stems from the Roman empress Agrippina. The wife of the Emperor Claudius was born on the banks of the Rhine and elevated her "Colonia" to the status of a city in the year 50 AD. Today, traces of the Romans are still to be found at every turn in Cologne: the Dionysus mosaic in the "Römisch-Germanisches Museum", sections of the Roman city wall and the Roman city from the Eifel region. The Roman road network is still reflected to this very day in the layout of the city streets. The Hohe Strasse, a busy shopping street between the cathedral (Dom) and Neumarkt square can look back over a two-thousand-year history of economic and social life.

Enjoy a guided city tour with an English speaking guide. You will see amongst others the famous Cologne cathedral, the Town Hall, old market places and to the banks of the River Rhine.

Remainder of the day and dinner under your own arrangement.

5th Day / Cologne- Eisenach
Breakfast and check out.

Leave Cologne and travel to Eisenach.

Welcome to Eisenach - the Luther city

Eisenach is surrounded by the scenic landscape of the Thuringia Forest. Located right in the heart of Germany. The city of Martin Luther, the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Visit the Wartburg castle, where Luther lived in protective custody and translated the New Testament. Visit the Bach Museum

Transfer to your hotel and check in.
Remainder of the day and dinner under your own arrangement.

6th Day / Eisenach- Dresden

Breakfast and check out.

Today you will travel to Dresden via Erfurt.

Welcome to Erfurt - the Capital of Thuringia

Erfurt: is the capital of the state of Thuringia, located in the green heart of Germany.
Erfurt was first recognized in 742 ad. and has grown in the middle ages from being an important intersection of the old trading routes to become a powerful centre of the trading industries and an important university.
Erfurt's cultural, intellectual and economic strengths brought great personalities such as Luther, Goethe, Schiller, Bach etc…

Enjoy a guided walking city tour with a local English speaking guide- a fascinating history experience - with the monumental ensemble of the church of St. Severus and the cathedral with its 500 years old Gloriosa bell, famous throughout the world for the beauty of its tone, as well as wealthy patrician townhouses, charming half-timbered buildings and a great many churches. The tour will take you on an interesting walk through the old quarter, past the Merchants' bridge, the town hall, the university district, townhouses steeped in tradition and also the cathedral of St. Severus.

Lunch on your own before you continue to Dresden.

Welcome to Dresden

Dresden where Heinrich Schütz worked at the Hofkirche as conductor and composer.
Welcome to the "German Florence on the river Elbe". Although destroyed during World War II, the baroque city centre has now been fully reconstructed.

Transfer to your hotel and check in.
Remainder of the day and dinner under your own arrangement.

7th Day / Dresden

Breakfast.

Today make a full day excursion to Meissen and Leipzig.

Welcome to Meissen

The 1000 years-old Meißen is dominated by its medieval townscape, precious porcelain and the vineyards of the Elbe valley. The picturesque town on the river Elbe provides a lot of attractions that belong to the touristic highlights of the country.

Visit the famous Meissen Porcelain Manufactory, which made this town world famous.

In 1710 the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory was founded in the castle Albrechtsburg as the first of this kind in Europe. From 1863 to 1865 the manufacturing process was transferred to Meissen-Triebischtal.
Your visit to the porcelain museum will include the showroom, the show workshops and the special exhibition. Your visit to the show workroom will include audio commentary. You will visit the show room and special exhibition individually. You should allow at least 1.5 hours for your visit.
Lunch on your own before you continue to Leipzig.

Welcome to Leipzig, the capital of Saxonia, where Johann Sebastian Bach served for 27 years as Choirmaster of St. Thomas Choir School!

Leipzig - the Leipzig fair, a key element of the city for centuries, has clearly left its mark on the architecture in the town centre. Around the turn the century was a huge wave of construction which swept away many of the open courtyards formerly so typical of the area and replaced them with breathtaking exhibition palaces - the current arcades for which Leipzig is so well-known.
Leipzig, the city of music - names like Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelsohn and
Robert Schuman.

Enjoy a guided walking tour with English speaking licensed guide incl. St.Thomas Church, where J.S. Bach is buried, and St. Nicholas church, which played an important role in the peaceful Revolution of 1989 and the Bach museum.

Transfer back to Dresden.
Remainder of the day and dinner under your own arrangement.

8th Day / Dresden- Salzburg

Breakfast and check out.

Drive south and pass Nuremberg and Munich on your way to Salzburg.

Welcome to Salzburg - the city of Mozart's birth!

Salzburg - is located in the Salzach River Valley. Unique during the Holy Empire, it was called the northern Rome, due to the importance of the Prince Archbishops and the Baroque.
Salzburg's reputation is based on a living musical tradition.
Its beauty and vibrant musical life have made Salzburg one of Europe's foremost cultural centres.

Transfer to your hotel and check in.
Remainder of the day and dinner under your own arrangement.