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

DAY    2            ARRIVE FRANKFURT - BAD HOMBURG - ERFURT AREA
                          (2 NIGHTS)
We will be met at the airport by our tour manager/guide and transfer into the Hesse region of Germany. Our first stop will be in Bad Homburg, where we will visit the Schloss, a Baroque palace built in the late 17th century, which was a favorite summer residence for the royals. Highlights of our visit will include the magnificent Ballroom, a Hall of Mirrors, and the White Tower, the only section that remains from the original medieval castle. After time to stroll through the beautifully landscaped Kurpark, we will view the Kaiser-Wilhelm Bad, the main bath complex, before continuing to our hotel in the Erfurt area for the evening.

DAY    3            EISENACH & ERFURT
This morning we travel to Eisenach, a town dominated by Wartburg Castle, a mighty fortress and legendary castle, which towers above the town. We will explore the castle, which has strong associations with Martin Luther and Richard Wagner, including the Vogtei brought to the complex from Nurnburg; Lutherstube, the room where Luther lived and worked; the Neue Kemenate, which today houses an impressive art collection; Begfried, a vast square tower crowned with a cross; St. Elizabeth's Rooms with stunning mosaics; the Landgraves Chambers, the oldest section of the castle; and the Singing Hall, allegedly the scene of the famous minstrels' contest in Wagner's opera Tannhauser. We will also have time to explore the town at the foot of the castle hill, which played an important role throughout German history. The town features interesting remains of 12th century fortifications, a museum dedicated to Martin Luther and the Bachaus, a museum dedicated to the great composer who was born in Eisenach. We continue to Erfurt, a city that continues to exude the spirit of a medieval market town. We will take a Walking Tour of the town, featuring well-preserved patrician mansions built in the Gothic, and Renaissance styles, narrow streets with half-timbered houses, and the unique Kramerbrucke, which has spanned the Gera River since the 14th century. We will also visit the Dom, a magnificent Gothic cathedral featuring beautiful stained glass windows, a Baroque interior, a Romanesque altar of the Virgin and a candelabra known as 'the Wolfman."

DAY    4            ERFURT - NURNBURG - REGENSBURG (1 NIGHT)
This morning we leave Thuringia and travel along Germany's Romantic Road. Our first stop is in Nürnburg, where we will take a Walking Tour of the Altstadt, featuring the ruins of the ramparts that once surrounded the city. We will view: the Justice Palace, where the War Crimes Tribunal sat in 1946; Bergstrasse; the Dürer Monument; St. Sebald Church; Hauptmarkt; the Albrect Durer House; Handwerkerhof; and Marktplatz. We continue with a visit to the Kaiserburg, the official residence of the German kings and emperors from 1050 to 1571. Our visit will include the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle), the Burgraves' Castle, the Municipal Buildings of the Free City and the new Kaiserburg Museum, which contains antique weaponry, armor, and paintings, and details the history of the castle. We will also be afforded magnificent views of the roofs and towers of Nürnberg from its terraces. We continue to Regensburg, a city dating back to Roman times. Upon our arrival we will take a Walking Tour, where we will view the Steinere Brucke, a bridge across the Danube, the Wurstkuche, the Altes Rathaus, the Alte Kapelle, Schloss Thurn und Taxis, and St. Jakob Kirche.

DAY    5            REGENSBERG - DACHAU - ULM - GARMISCH -                           PARTENKIRCHEN (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we begin our journey into Bavaria. Our morning commences with a visit to Dachau Concentration Camp. In 1933, what had once been a quiet little artists' community became a tragic symbol of the Nazi era, the first German concentration camp. Our guided-tour will include: the three memorial chapels built in the early 1960s; Lagerstrasse, the main camp road; two barracks, which have been rebuilt to give visitors insight into the horrible conditions endured by the prisoners; and the Museum, housed in the large building that once contained the kitchen, laundry, and shower baths. We continue to 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. Our day concludes in 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    6            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    7            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    8            MUNICH (THE HEART OF BAVARIA)
This morning we will explore the Aldstadt (Old Quarter) o 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    9            MUNICH (MODERN MUNICH)
Our morning begins with a visit 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. Our thematic day continues with a visit to the BMW Museum, where the history of the automobile is stunningly displayed in an atmosphere created by Oscar winner Rolf Zehetbauer, a "film architect." In addition to the BMW's on display, we will view the exhibition "Horizons in Time," housed in a demisphere of modern architecture, which takes the visitor into the future and back to the past. Our day concludes with a tour of the Olympiapark, built for the 20th Olympic Games, held in Munich in 1972. We will take a guided-tour of the park, highlighted by the Olympiahalle, and the Olympiaturm, where we can ascend the Olympic Tower for sweeping views of the entire complex.

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.