Best of Germany and Austria

Embrace centuries-old heritage charm and modern style in the vibrant city of Frankfurt, our springboard for a delightful exploration of the best of Germany and Austria. Spend your day exploring the Altstadt and soaking up the atmosphere of a bygone era, before meeting your Travel Director for an orientation of the medieval Römerplatz and dynamic financial district. Later, we join our fellow travellers for a memorable Welcome Reception to launch our journey through the heart of Europe.

• Explore Frankfurt

The legend of Loreley kick-starts our morning as we board a leisurely cruise along the mighty Rhine past castles and vineyard-clad hills. Stop to Connect With Locals over a Be My Guest lunch and hear tales of knights and feuding lords and ladies in a 13th-century castle perched high above the Rhine valley. Continuing to the cultural capital of the Rhineland, view the spectacular Gothic spires of Cologne Cathedral. Spend the rest of the evening exploring the city's great artistic treasures and historic town squares.

• Lunch in a Medieval Castle High Above the Rhine River Valley
• Rhine River Cruise
• See the Cathedral of Cologne

This morning, we board a high-speed train to historic Berlin, whose once-turbulent history has shaped its rebirth as the charismatic capital of Germany. Join a Local Specialist for an exploration of 'East meets West' and delve into the story behind their reunification. See the imposing Brandenburg Gate, the Tiergarten, Unter den Linden and the Reichstag building, with its famous glass dome.

• Berlin City Tour
• Visit Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse

Enjoy a full day to explore Berlin on your terms. You might choose to join an Optional Experience uncovering the city’s defining moments with a Local Specialist visiting the Holocaust Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie and what remains of the Berlin Wall. Later, you could head out of the city on another Optional Experience to Potsdam and Wannsee to see the site of the 1942 Wannsee Conference, cross the Glienicke ‘Spy Bridge’ and wander through the UNESCO-listed gardens of Sanssouci Palace.

Celebrate beauty through your admiration of art and architecture in beautiful Würzburg, where you will see the Prince-Bishops' residence and Marienberg Fortress, on the banks of the Main. Continue to Rothenburg and dine tonight in your hotel. Your Stays With Stories accommodation this evening is the historic Prinzhotel, built in the traditional half-timbered style lying within the 15th-century fortified town walls.

• Stays with Stories
• Würzburg Orientation

This morning, we embark on an orientation walk through the medieval centre of Rothenburg, seemingly frozen in time and encircled by a fortified town wall that remains intact after centuries. Travelling south through picture-perfect landscapes of Bavaria, we arrive in Munich. We check into our Stays With Stories accommodation, the Arabella Sheraton Munich which once saw Led Zeppelin, Iggy Pop and Freddie Mercury belt out tunes in the then-hotel basement recording studio. Famous producer Giorgio Moroder founded a recording studio here in the early 1970s until the noise of the nearby subway trains forced the music to continue elsewhere.

• Stays with Stories
• Visit Rothenburg ob der Tauber

This morning, join a Local Specialist for a guided visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial, a powerful experience that offers insight into this dark chapter of history. During your time in Munich, see the distinctive towers of the Cathedral of Our Lady, stroll through Marienplatz, and admire the impressive town hall with its charming Glockenspiel. Take time to admire the 13th-century St. Peter's Church and wander around local bakeries and traditional beer halls. Important note regarding the Dachau guided tour: the minimum age for guests is 14. Due to German Youth Protection Laws, younger guests are not permitted to join the guided tour but may visit the site independently when accompanied by an adult.

• Munich Orientation
• Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Visit

Indulge in a world of fantasy and fables during your visit to Neuschwanstein Castle (subject to availability), built as a retreat for King Ludwig II to retire from public life. Then travel through the Bavarian countryside to Oberammergau, where fresco-painted facades add character to this village best known for its Passion Play. Explore its charming streets before enjoying dinner in town. Later, continue to Innsbruck, where you’ll spend the next two nights surrounded by the peaks of the Austrian Alps.

• Neuschwanstein Castle Visit

This morning, you'll embark on a short orientation tour that includes views of the Old Town, Hofburg Palace and the ornate Golden Roof, built to commemorate the wedding of Emperor Maximilian I. Spend your free time exploring Innsbruck's iconic sites and delving into Tyrol's complex history and culture, or simply relax and admire this dazzling city with its magnificent Alpine backdrop. Next, admire the fascinating crystal installations and browse for precious gifts and souvenirs at the Swarovski Crystal Worlds Store. You could consider joining a traditional dinner and Tyrolean folklore show this evening.

Travel to Salzburg where spires and domes rise in the shadow of Hohensalzburg Castle, one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe. Join a Local Specialist for a fascinating walking tour of a city that featured in ‘The Sound of Music'. View Mozart's birthplace and family house in Getreidegasse, and the Domplatz dominated by Salzburg Cathedral. This evening, we dine at a local restaurant.

• Salzburg City Tour

Indulge in the Austrian tradition of koffee and kuchen at Wastlbauer eco-farm on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Meet Eva, the owner, for a tour of her self-sufficient farm and wet your appetite over freshly baked pastries. This experience advances UN Global Goal 12: Responsible production and consumption. Scenic landscapes provide a beautiful backdrop for our drive past Lake Mondsee to the UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley. Sloping vineyards line the Danube from Melk Abbey to Dürnstein, where Richard the Lionheart was held prisoner and subsequently found by Blondel, his faithful minstrel. This afternoon, we arrive in the imperial capital of Vienna. We have the evening at leisure to enjoy the sounds of the 'City of Music' or consider an evening of Viennese classical music.

• Wachau Valley Scenic Views
• Salzburg Farm Coffee and Cakes

Explore the splendour of Vienna at the exquisite Hofburg Palace, the former winter residence of the Habsburg Dynasty - one of the highlights of your guided sightseeing tour of Vienna with a Local Specialist. Enjoy views of the grand State Opera House and Ringstrasse, a beautiful sweeping boulevard built in the 19th century to replace the city walls. Admire the ornate, colourful roof of St. Stephen's Cathedral, one of the city's most beloved icons, before spending the afternoon at leisure. Tonight, join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Farewell Dinner in a local restaurant to celebrate a beautiful sojourn through Germany and Austria.

• Vienna City Tour

Bid farewell to our companions at the end of a wonderful holiday.