DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to Frankfurt.

DAY    2            ARRIVE FRANKFURT - WORMS - HEIDELBERG (2 NIGHTS)
We will be met at the airport by our tour manager/guide and transfer to Worms, an important historic and religious city in Germany. We will begin with a visit to Dom St. Peter, towering physically and historically above all the other ancient buildings of the city. The basilica is a fine example of High Romanesque and the interior has a quiet elegance, with a rosette window, several memorial slabs and monuments, and the highly decorated 14th-century side Chapel of St. Nicholas, with its Gothic baptismal font and new stained-glass windows. After a bit of free time to explore or shop in Worms, we continue to Heidelberg, situated on the banks of the Neckar River, and one of Germany's most beautiful towns. Our day concludes with a walk along the Philosophenweg (Philosopher's Walk), built in 1871 on the slopes of Heiligenberg (650 ft), which offers magnificent views of Heidelberg and the castle.

DAY    3            KARLSRUHE & HEIDELBERG
We begin with a visit to Karlsruhe, a vivacious young metropolis on the bank of the Rhine River. Karlsruhe is rich in culture and features a star-shaped arrangement fanning out from the Baroque Palace in the center of the city. We will visit the Schloss (Palace) of the city's founder Margrave Karl-Wilhelm, including the State Museum housed within the Palace, and the magnificent Schlossgarten Park and Gardens. Karlsruhe is also known in Germany as the "city of law," and we will view the German Supreme Court, The German Constitutional Court and the Federal Prosecutor's Office, before returning to Heidelberg. This afternoon 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, the Wine Vat Building for a look at the Great Cask, a symbol of the abundant and exuberant life of the Rhineland-Palatinate, and the Chemist's Tower, housing the Pharmaceutical Museum, which shows a chemist's shop from the 18th and 19th centuries.

DAY    4            HEIDELBERG - STUTTGART (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we travel to Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Wurttemberg, and one of the largest and most important cities in Germany. We begin with Walking Tour of the City Center, where we will view Schlossplatz, Neues Schloss, Konigsbau, the Altes Schloss, Schillerplatz, Stiftskirche and Hegelhaus, before visiting the Staatsgalerie. This important art museum houses King Wilhelm I's former private collection, including works by Memling, Rembrandt, Bellini, Monet, Picasso and Modigliani. Our day concludes with a visit to the Mercedes-Benz Museum, honoring the oldest automobile factory in the world, and the invention of the first motorcar by Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. The museum displays over 75 historical vehicles, from the first motor bicycle to vehicles built to achieve speed records.

DAY    5            THE BLACK FOREST
Today we will enjoy a leisurely day driving through the Schwarzwald (Black Forest), covered with tall fir and spruce trees, and one of Germany's most picturesque regions. During our day we will visit the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, a town dating to 1120, and a natural gateway to the southern Black Forest. We will take a Walking Tour, where we will view Martinstor, a gate from the 13th century fortifications; the Fischerau, with picturesque streets along the Gewerbebach Stream; Freiburg University; the Haus zum Walfisch; the Bachle, a unique draining canal; and Munsterplatz with Gothic and Rococo houses. At the end of our walk, we will visit the Munster, begun in 1200 as a Romanesque basilica, and featuring a stunning Main Altar by Hans Baldung Grien. Our day will also include stops in small towns throughout the Black Forest, including Furtwangen, where we will visit the Clock Museum, which houses more than 4,000 clocks. We return to Stuttgart for the evening.

DAY    6            STUTTGART - ULM - BIBERWIER - GARMISCH -
                          PARTENKIRCHEN (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we begin our journey into Bavaria. Our first stop today will be in Ulm, birthplace of Albert Einstein, where we will visit Ulm Munster, a magnificent Gothic cathedral with the tallest spire in the world. Those that choose can ascend the Spire, and enjoy one of Germany's finest panoramic views. We continue into the Bavarian Alps, where we will stop just past Biberwier, in the shadow of the gray and powerful Zugspitze, Germany's tallest mountain. We will enjoy an afternoon Luge Ride, one of the great alpine experiences, where we ride an oversized skateboard on a concrete bobsled course, which banks on the corners. (Luge rides subject to season, weather and availability) 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.

DAY    7            DAY TRIP TO NEUSCHWANSTEIN, WIESKIRCHE
                         & LINDERHOF (THE LEGACY OF KING LUDWIG II)
This morning we will take a day trip into the heart of Bavaria to explore the former treasures of "Mad" King Ludwig II. We begin with a visit to 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. The Throne Room, designed in Byzantine style, with gilded mural paintings, mosaics and a huge chandelier, will highlight our tour. Our day continues to Wieskirche, where we will visit the unique Church of Zum Gegeisselten Heiland. The church is the most resplendent example of South German Rococo and one of the finest Rococo churches in the world, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983. Our day in Bavaria concludes with a visit to Linderhof Palace, another of Ludwig II's residences, which clearly shows his fondness for France and Louis XIV. After touring the extravagantly decorated rooms of the palace, we will explore the extensive Park, featuring French-style Formal Gardens, Italianate terraced gardens, a Moorish kiosk, with a lavish Peacock Throne, and the Grotto with a lake, a stage, a throne and colorful lighting.

DAY    8            GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN - NYMPHENBURG PALACE -                           THERESIENWISE - MUNICH (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we will visit 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 continue to Theresienwise, the former fairgrounds on which the Oktoberfest festival began after the marriage of Ludwig I and Theresa. We will visit the Neo-Classical Ruhmeshalle (Hall of Fame) built by Leo von Klenze, an open hall, fronted by 48 Ionian columns, contains the busts of 77 prominent Bavarians. In front stands a gigantic statue of a Bavarian Goddess, and those that choose can Ascend to the Head for a wonderful view over Munich. We continue to Munich, Bavaria's magnificent capital city, where we will stroll down Maximilianstrasse, Munich's "Golden Mile," which is the equivalent of New York's Fifth Avenue. Here we will find the city's most elegant and expensive boutiques and restaurants.

DAY    9            MUNICH (THE HEART OF BAVARIA)
This morning we will explore the Aldstadt (Old Quarter) of Munich, beginning at the Karlstor, once a gate to the walled city. We continue with a stroll down Neuhauser Street, Munich's largest shopping street, with typical 19th century buildings, outdoor cafes and shops. Next we visit the Frauenkirche, the largest Gothic assembly building in southern Germany and the seat of the Archbishopric of Munich. With its twin towers, topped with onion domes, the church has become a symbol of the city. Next we will explore the area of Munich around the Marienplatz, dedicated to the patron of the city, the heart of the Altstadt. We will begin at the Neues Rathaus, where we will observe the Glockenspiel on the façade, the fourth largest chiming clock in Europe, which stages an elaborate performance twice a day. Those that choose will have the opportunity to climb the 55 steps to the top of its tower for a good overall view of the city center. After viewing Peterskirche and the Altes Rathaus, we will visit Asamkirche, a church designed by the Asam brothers, which offers the full effect of Gothic artistic expression and a mysterious theatrical illusion of another world. This afternoon we will visit the Alte Pinakothek, one of the world's great art museums. The museum houses a large and important collection that represents the greatest European artists from the 14th through the 18th centuries, including Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, Durer, Holbein, Rembrandt, Rubens, Bruegel, Hals and El Greco. After dinner, we will attend a traditional Bavarian music and dance show at the world famous Hofbrauhaus.

DAY    10          DEPARTURE FROM MUNICH
Our enjoyable and rewarding trip will come to an end as our guide accompanies us to the airport for the return flight home.