Germany is one of Europe’s most exciting and most visited destinations. It’s a place that is all at once surprising – spectacular – unexpected – and diverse. There’s fascinating history that stretches back to Roman times while today Germany is still at the heart of economic and political discussions on the world stage. It’s a country known for wonderful cities like Berlin - yet a staggering 48 per cent of the country is subject to some form of nature conservation. It’s a country with 39 UNESCO World Heritage sites ranging from medieval towns to examples of twentieth century industrial architecture. And it is blessed with an extraordinary heritage of customs and traditions as beloved as Christmas Markets and Cuckoo Clocks, and as delicious as Frankfurt Green Sauce and Black Forest Gateau!
Germany is packed with traditions and festivals. No matter what time of year you decide to visit you’ll find a packed calendar of events. You can visit fascinating museums and galleries and take in stunning architecture that spans medieval to modern and everything in between. Germany is also rich in natural beauty with over 130 national parks, UNESCO biosphere reserves and nature parks to explore. It has one of the best bicycle and walking trail systems in the world with a staggering 200,000 kms to explore. And nature is never far away even in the small towns and cities of Germany. For instance Hamburg has a canal system with more bridges than Venice and you can kayak right through the city!
In summer, the carefully crafted “Best of Germany” itinerary from Insight Vacations is a great way to makes sure that you take in all the must see sights and top experiences. A comprehensive tour of Germany, it goes to all the main sites and provides and understanding of the history of the country. Guests will enjoy a culinary stop in Rothenburg, meet a local craftsman in the Black Forest, learn about World War II history in Dachau, Berlin and Dresden and enjoy stunning scenery and a taste of Germany’s unexpected frivolity in Bavaria.
Your Tour Director takes care of all the travel details and excellent local guides educate you with fascinating history lessons and insider stories. On this escorted journey with Insight Vacations you will enjoy many memorable meals of excellent German cuisine with your like-minded fellow travelers. You don’t have to worry about baggage handling and you travel in a luxury, air conditioned coach enjoying free WiFi. And, suitably relaxed, take in the best that Germany has to offer.
In winter Insight Vacations offer itineraries that visit the famous German Christmas Markets. Open-air street markets have a long history in Germany dating back long before anyone celebrated Christmas. In Europe in the Late Middle Ages special winter markets offered townspeople a chance to stock up on food and supplies to tide them over the cold months. With time, craftspeople began selling baskets, toys and woodcarvings. There were also booths for almonds, nuts, roasted chestnuts, gingerbread and other baked goods.
Dresden may have one of the strongest claims to be the first genuine Christmas market, dating back to 1434. Today, during the four weeks of Advent that lead up to Christmas, almost any town of moderate size in the German-speaking world has at least one Christmas market. Larger cities usually have many, with Berlin boasting around 60! All of these markets offer Glühwein (hot mulled wine) and other warming drinks, gingerbread hearts, decorative craftworks, and other typical Christmas items.
For over 35 years Insight Vacations has been known as the provider of some of the world’s finest escorted tours. They are particularly regarded as experts in touring Europe - with tours covering 43 countries they offer more European nations than any other any operator. They are also the leading escorted tour operator in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as offering tours in North America, North Africa, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
You can be confident that Insight will bring you quality hotels, luxury transport and the most in-depth local knowledge. Enjoy unique escorted vacations, with signature business class travel, expert Tour Directors and hand picked hotels in the best locations.
The “Best of Germany” itinerary is a carefully crafted journey that takes you to the bright lights of Berlin, delightful historic small towns such as Medieval Rothenburg, and the spectacular scenery of the Bavarian Alps and the Rhine Valley.
With Insight you know that you get the very best tour possible, and often more than other operators provide. A special highlight of this itinerary is an included overnight stay in Rothenburg – Europe’s best preserved medieval town. You stay at the Hotel Eisenhut, which consists of four patrician houses from the 12th and 18th centuries, furnished with select antiques and original artwork. And when you travel through the Bavarian Alps to King Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein castle you don’t just visit the castle. You meet with an historian and leave the castle by horse and carriage!
Here is the detail of the itinerary – it is a perfect tour if it is your first visit and you are looking for an introduction to the diverse and unexpected delights of Germany.
The Best of Germany Tour
Day 1: Your Journey Begins
Board your flight (not included).
Day 2: Welcome to Berlin
Embrace a journey of cosmopolitan cities, historic old towns and breathtaking natural scenery. On arrival at Berlin's Tegel Airport, transfers leave for the hotel at 10:30 & 12:30. Visit the KaDeWe department store, the shopping centre of West Berlin - which during 40 years of division, became the shop window of the West. Later, join your Tour Director for a Welcome Reception with the opportunity to mingle over a pleasant evening of dinner and wine.
Hotel: Swissotel Berlin
Welcome Reception and Dinner
Day 3: The Spirit of Berlin
(Relaxed Start) Morning sightseeing with a Local Expert takes you along the Ku'Damm to the Memorial Church. Drive through the Tiergarten to see Norman Foster's glass-dome that crowns the reconstructed Reichstag building. Continue on past the Brandenburg Gate, symbol of the reunification and down the Unter den Linden, past the Humboldt University and Opera. Stop a while on Museum Island before enjoying an afternoon at leisure in this once divided city. Perhaps take the opportunity to visit the glorious palace of the Prussian Emperors at Potsdam?
Hotel: Swissotel Berlin
Buffet Breakfast
Day 4: Dresden, a Baroque Phoenix on the Elbe
(Relaxed Start) Hear about the origins of the legendary German autobahn network in the morning as you travel south to Dresden. Join a Local Expert to see the splendours of the city. From the Frauenkirche, which has risen again from the destruction of World War II, walk past ‘The Procession of the Dukes', a mosaic of colossal proportions on the Royal Palace façade. See the enormous cathedral, Semper Opera House and Baroque Zwinger Palace.
Hotel: Swissotel Dresden AM Schloss
Buffet Breakfast
Day 5: Medieval Rothenburg
Venture to Rothenburg-ob-der Tauber, the most well-preserved town on the Romantic Road. Plunge back into the 16th century as you walk through narrow cobbled streets lined with high-gabled houses to the market square, dominated by its Renaissance town hall. With an artisan baker, enjoy a demonstration and learn the history of the traditional pastry Schneeballen (snowball), followed by a tasting. Afterwards, the rest of your day is free to explore the quaint town. For your Dine-Around experience tonight, choose from a selection of restaurants within the walls of the Old Town.
Hotel: Eisenhut, Rothenburg
Buffet Breakfast, Dine-Around
Day 6: Nuremberg and the Bavarian Capital of Munich
It's only a short drive to Nuremberg, still entirely enclosed by its fortifications. Witness the charming blend of stone and timbered dwellings in the Old Town as well as the massive ramparts. Perhaps shop for delicious Lebkuchen (gingerbread) before crossing the Danube to reach fun-loving Munich? An introductory orientation will show you the university, Victory Arch and the Marienplatz, where crowds gather at the Town Hall to watch the antics of the Glockenspiel. At night, perhaps consider dinner at one of Munich's famous ‘Bier Kellers'?
Hotel: Hilton Munich Park
Buffet Breakfast
Day 7: Munich & the Jewels of the Bavarian Alps
In the morning, travel to Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps, home of the Passion Play since 1634. See the immense theatre and colourfully-painted chalets then continue along part of the Alpine Road amidst beautiful scenery to the Wieskirche, a masterpiece of Bavarian Rococo. Continue to Neuschwanstein, the fairytale castle spectacularly perched on an Alpine mountainside. A local historian will show you Ludwig II's favourite castle. Visit the exuberantly decorated apartments, including the Throne Room and Lohengrin Grotto. Upon leaving the castle, descend the mountain by traditional horse and carriage. Return to Munich for a free evening.
Hotel: Hilton Munich Park
Buffet Breakfast
Day 8: Lindau on Lake Constance and into the Black Forest
(Relaxed Start) Enjoy a leisurely morning departure before travelling through lush, rolling dairy country to Lindau, an island in Lake Constance connected to the mainland by a causeway. Stroll through the narrow streets past old inns and half-timbered houses, to admire the fantastic backdrop of the Swiss and Austrian Alps across the lake. Take a delightful drive along the shores of Lake Constance, lined with orchards and vineyards, to the Black Forest. Your hotel is nestled amid the trees alongside the clear waters of Lake Titisee.
Hotel: Maritim Titisee
Buffet Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9: The University City of Heidelberg and Mainz
The Black Forest is the land of cherry cake and cuckoo clocks, where traditional farmhouses dip their thatched roofs almost to the ground. Stop a while in one of the centres of the wood-carving industry to meet skilled masters of the trade who still make cuckoo clocks by hand, a tradition passed down over 300 years. Then head through the valleys, where villages and isolated farms nestle beside fast flowing streams, before travelling north to Heidelberg. Enjoy the outlook from the heights of the castle fortress before venturing inside to see the Great Wine Vat, with its associated tales of the dwarf court jester, Perkeo. Spend time in the vast and insightful Apothecary Museum, before enjoying panoramic views of Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley. Your hotel is in the nearby town of Mainz, a bustling and important town since the time of the Romans.
Hotel: Hilton, Mainz
Buffet Breakfast
Day 10: Castles of the Rhine Experience
(Relaxed Start) Begin the day with a relaxing cruise past steep-sided vineyards, half-timbered taverns, the hilltop castles and the notorious Lorelei Rock. Alight at Boppard and continue to Koblenz where a gigantic equestrian statue of Wilhelm I guards the junction of the Rhine and Moselle. Camera at the ready as you return along the eastern bank. Enjoy the scenic views from the mighty Niederwald Monument. In the evening, round off your German experience with a farewell Celebration Dinner overlooking the River Rhine, complete with the local wine. Prost!
Hotel: Hilton Mainz
Buffet Breakfast, Celebration Dinner
Day 11: Auf Wiedersehen Frankfurt
Your journey comes to an end after breakfast. Departure transfers arrive at Frankfurt Airport at 08:00 and 10:00.
Buffet Breakfast