Tour of Germany - Itinerary

This independent tour of Germany can start at any time, can be shortened, extended or combined with any of our other tours to create a unique itinerary.

(Inclusions in italics)

Day 1 & 2 - Berlin: Get to know Berlin's famous and hidden sites by bus or on a guided walking or bike tour or from the comfort of a canal boat. See the city's main attractions: the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, and lesser-known hidden gems. Then visit the iconic glass dome of the new German Parliament.

Day 3 - Berlin: During your excursion to nearby UNESCO world heritage listed Potsdam visit the imperial palace Sanssouci and Babelberg Palace nestled in a stunning landscape park.

Potsdam, once home to Prussian royalty, frequently flies under the radar of visiting international tourists. Apart from it stately homes, gardens, parks and elegant palaces it has a Dutch Quarter, comprised of 134 Dutch–style redbrick homes, a Russian Quarter, Roman Baths and a historical windmill.

Day 4 - Dresden:  Explore the splendour of Dresden on a guided tour and see this city's famous landmarks: Germany's most famous opera house the Semper Opera house, the Zwinger with its baroque complex of pavilions and galleries and the cathedral (Frauenkirche), the majestic dome of which dominates the cityscape.Discover Dresden's fascinating history and architecture, see one of the world's longest murals in the Royal Mews courtyard and admire the collections in the stunning Royal Palace, which dates back to the 14th Century. 

Day 5 - Dresden:  Not far from Dresden along the river Elbe you will see the picturesque and dramatic landscape of Saxony Switzerland with its Bastei Bridge during your full day excursion. Further up the Elbe you will visit Germany's largest medieval fortress in Koenigstein.

Day 6 - Nuremberg: Spend the afternoon of your arrival day to explore the historic inner city with its lovely half-timbered houses, medieval fortifications, cobble-stoned streets and alleyways.

Day 7 - Nuremberg: During a guided 4-hour walking tour you will understand the important historic role that Nuremberg has played as the centre of the Roman Empire to the more recent days of Hitler's Third Reich.

Your guide will take you from the bustling central square around the medieval city walls to the castle's imperial courtyards. You will visit Nuremberg's Nazi Party rally grounds and hear about the famous Nuremberg trials while visiting the documentation center. Read more about Nuremburg Germany here.

Day 8 - Munich: A guided walking tour that takes you to the places of Munich's dark past, where the Third Reich had its origins, where Adolf Hitler's voice could first be heard and which was the stage for some of the Nazi's worst crimes. Or you can choose a city tour and visit to the Allianz arena, home to soccer club Bayern Munich, one of the world's most spectacular stadiums.Take the afternoon and see Van Gogh's famous paintings in the New Pinakothek gallery, visit the BMW museum or the Dachau concentration camp on the outskirts of Munich.

As Munich is the beer capital of the world you might like to kick off your visit to this city by sampling some of their finely crafted beers at the world famous Hofbraeuhaus, together with some hearty Bavarian fare while listening to an oompah band.

Day 9 - Munich: Your all-day guided excursion will take you to the iconic Neuschwanstein Castle, the most visited in castle in Germany. And it is not just the castle itself, but the location of the castle on a hill in a magnificent landscape overlooking the Hohenschwangau valley, that will make you feel you have arrived in the middle of a fairy-tale.

Day 10 - Excursion to medieval Rothenburg from Munich: On your full day guided coach excursion to Rothenburg you can immerse yourself in castles and medieval villages as you travel along the Romantic Road to Rothenburg.

Harburg, one of the oldest and best preserved castles in southern Germany, which was a strategically important stronghold in the 11th Century, will be your first stop.

In Rothenburg, the most perfectly preserved medieval town in Europe, you will have 3 hours to stroll around the quaint inner town and to visit the impressive St Jacob's Church, a light-filled gothic building with soaring ceilings.

Day 11 & 12 - Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Bavarian Alps): Stroll along streets and alleyways, across little bridges and past beautifully painted houses, their balconies adorned with masses of flowers, and you will understand why the people who live in this charmed corner of the world are envied. The historic sites, breathtaking panorama of the Bavarian Alps, dramatic gorges, flowering alpine meadows and a country town steeped in tradition will make you feel that you have arrived in a little paradise on earth.

Take the charming cogwheel train to the top of the Zugspitze glacier-covered mountain. At the 9000 feet summit you have breathtaking views of more than 400 peaks in Austria, Italy, Switzerland and Germany.

And for a thrill of a lifetime take the Alpenspitz cable car to the summit, where you will find two steel platforms cantilevered over the abyss, at the end of which you will reach a glass wall, standing 1,000 meters above the 'Hell valley'.

Day 13, 14 & 15 - Lindau (Lake Constance): Explore the historic town of Lindau, which is actually an island in Lake Constance, full of medieval and half-timbered buildings and an absolute charming place. Take a boat tour from the small harbour to Bregenz on the Austrian side of the lake while admiring the view of the Austrian and Swiss Alps.

In Bregenz (movie location for the James Bond movie 'Quantum of Solace') hop on the cable car up to the Pfänder Mountain from where you have the most magnificent views across the lake and 240 alpine peaks in Austria, Switzerland and Germany. High above the lake is Bregenz' old town, Oberstadt. This tiny town with its winding streets, colourful houses and gardens is enclosed by defensive walls and is just asking to be explored. Read more about Lake Constance here.

On your last day in Lindau take the boat to Mainau Island, a floral paradise in the middle of the lake. Colourful beds with over a million tulips in spring, more than thousand blooming roses in the Italian rose garden in summers and over 12,000 splendid dahlias in autumn: Tour the exotic landscape in the butterfly house and the magnificent baroque castle. Discover an oasis of natural beauty, harmony and relaxation.

Day 16 & 17 - Titisee (Black Forest): The Titisee is a crystal-clear lake in the centre of the Black Forest and your base from where to explore the otherworldly beauty of this place. There are beautiful areas for lake-side strolls and hikes up to Hochfirst mountain. 

The scenery seems to be out of a picture book: deep gorges, dense forests, lush green meadows, half-timbered farm houses and mist enveloped mountains.The Black Forest is a magical land full of cultural traditions and charms.

And don't forget to sample the famous Black Forest cake and see the displays of cuckoo clocks.     

Day 18 - Heidelberg: This 12th Century small city with its world famous castle, picturesque setting and Mediterranean climate has been the center of Germany's 'Romantic Movement' and inspiration to numerous literary figures, not to mention Elvis Presley.

The cog-wheel train will take you right from the center of town to the fortress where you can enjoy the splendid view across the Neckar valley. Take some time to stroll around the terraces, gardens and fortifications of this iconic 14th Century castle.

Take a walk on the 'Philosopher's path', across the Neckar River from the castle and enjoy the beautiful gardens, mansions and views of the old city and the castle.

Day 19 & 20 - Koblenz (Rhine and Mosel River): Explore Koblenz, one of the most beautiful and oldest cities in Germany with over 2000 years of history, where the Rhine and Mosel Rivers flow together. Take the cable car for a spectacular ride across the Rhine River and arrive at fortress Ehrenbreitstein, whose origins go back to the 1st century and is Germany's second largest preserved fortress.

Enjoy a leisurely cruise on the Rhine or Moselle, floating past medieval castles and hill-top fortification, vineyards and villages. This section of the Rhine provides one of the most magnificent cultural landscapes in Europe. The richness and beauty of this middle Rhine region has been recognized with a UNESCO world heritage listing.

To make your tour of Germany especially memorable you could decide to add a stay in the fairy-tale castle hotel Schoenburg. This would be an absolute highlight and a wonderful grand finale of your Germany tour.

Day 21 - Transfer to Frankfurt Airport

See our Germany off the beaten path pages for more destination information.