DAY
3 DAY TRIP TO THE RHINE GORGE
Today we will ascend the legendary Lorelei Rock for a
magnificent view of the Rhine. Our day will also include a
Rhine Cruise Steamer Trip that will take us past Die
Pfalz, the Mouse Tower, and a succession of castles and
vineyards to Rudesheim and its famous street,
Drosselgasse.
· Your
First Concert Performance will be today
DAY
4 RHINE GORGE AREA - WORMS - HEIDELBERG AREA (1
NIGHT)
Our first stop is at Worms, closely associated with Martin
Luther. We will visit the Romanesque Cathedral and
view the Luther Monument before continuing to
Heidelberg, one of the oldest university towns in Germany
and one of Europe’s great cultural and intellectual
centers. We will visit Heidelberg Castle, a
dignified ruin and one of the finest Gothic-Renaissance
castles in Germany. Our visit will include the Palace
of Friedrich IV, which features the gallery of
princes and kings of the German empire from the time of
Charlemagne. We will also see the Wine Vat Building
for a look at the Great Cask, a symbol of the abundant
and exuberant life of the Rhineland-Palatinate. We continue
with a walk through Heidelberg’s Old Quarter.
DAY
5 HEIDELBERG AREA - ROTHENBURG AREA (1 NIGHT)
Today we will make the short trip from Heidelberg to the
walled city of Rothenberg on the River Tauber. As we pass a
succession of cobbled streets, historic houses and fountains
on our Walking Tour, you will soon be immersed
in the 16th century. We
will begin at the entrance to the old walled city, followed
by a walk along the cobbled streets to the Rathaus
(town hall). We will visit the town hall filled with
Renaissance works, and we will Climb the Tower
for a beautiful view over the city. We continue with a
visit to the Museum of Medieval Justice, the former
headquarters of the Knights of the Order of St. John of
Jerusalem, now a museum displaying medieval attitudes
towards crime and dissidence.
· Your Second Concert Performance
will be today
DAY
6 ROTHENBURG AREA - NYMPHENBURG - MUNICH (3
NIGHTS)
We will drive across southern Germany to the
Nymphenburg Palace,
once the
residence of the Bavarian kings. We will explore the
splendid palace including the Rococo Banqueting Hall,
with its vivid frescoes based on mythological themes, and
the Gallery of Beauties, which displays
portraits of the loveliest women of the time of Ludwig I.
Our visit will also include the Carriage Museum,
which houses coaches, carriages and sleighs once belonging
to the Bavarian rulers, and a stroll in the formal
Gardens. We will continue into Munich, the
capital of Bavaria and for many people Germany’s
unrecognized capital.
DAY
7 MUNICH
Our sightseeing in Munich will start at the Old
Pinakothek, one of the world's great art galleries with
a large and important collection of Dutch and Flemish
paintings. Our visit to the Old Town will include the
performing Glockenspiel (a carillon with colored figures
depicting jousting knights) in Marienplatz, the square in
the heart of old Munich. We will continue to the
Deutsches Museum,
one of the most important museums in the world for
scientific and technical matters. During our visit, we will
enjoy a series of working models and demonstrations as we
trace the history of science and technology from the
beginning of time to present day.
· Your Third Concert Performance
will be today
DAY
8 OBERAMMERGAU, GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN &
NEUSCHWANSTEIN
Today we will experience the beauty of the Bavarian Alps
region, beginning in Oberammergau, a town renowned
for its painted houses, a colorful style known as
Luftmalerei, which is typical for the region. After time to
explore this quaint town, we continue
to the twin villages of Garmisch and Partenkirchen,
which make up Germany's top alpine resort. In spite of
their urban flair, the towns maintain the charm of an
ancient village, often with country folk in traditional
dress. The town and its environs offer some of the most
panoramic views and colorful buildings in Bavaria. We
return to Munich for the evening. Our journey will continue
to mad King Ludwig's fairy tale castle
Neuschwanstein Castle,
situated on an outcrop of rock towering over a gorge in the
River Pollat. This is one of Germany’s most famous castles,
though the king himself only lived there for 172 days. Our
tour of the castle will be highlighted by the Throne
Room, designed in Byzantine style, with gilded mural
paintings, mosaics and a huge chandelier.
DAY
9
DEPARTURE FROM MUNICH
Your enjoyable and rewarding
tour will come to an end as your tour manager/guide accompanies
you to the airport for the return flight home.
