Too many travellers think they know Germany. Theirs might be the country of oompah and sausages in Bavaria, the arty, hipster districts of Berlin, the cuckoo-clock villages in the Black Forest or wonky fairytale towns along the Romantic Road to Schloss Neuschwanstein – the original Sleeping Beauty castle. Each is brilliant, yet the more I see, the more I realise how extraordinary Germany is.
Nowhere else in Europe combines so much history or scenery – from white powder beaches on the Baltic coast to romantic river valleys like the Rhine or Elbe and corkscrew alps – with such excellence. If England had as many outstanding galleries, museums, brilliant nightlife, world-renowned beers or the best Christmas in the world, it’d be insufferable. Germany? Not a bit. Welcoming and relaxed, it has never been a more rewarding destination to travel. Given that autobahns and rail are the envy of Europe, it excels in that too.
Featuring hotels of character, and framed by mountains, this beautiful route reveals the best of southern Bavaria, a paradise for cyclists.
Discover the Wittelsbach family & their elegant capital, Munich. Remarkable museums & galleries full of wonderful treasures & paintings. Two marvellous country palaces at Nymphenburg & Schleissheim. Superior hotel in the historic central district. Excellent opera & chamber music, including Jonas Kaufmann & Anja Harteros in Andrea Chénier.
Explore the lakes and castles of Bavaria and the Austrian Tirol on foot on this one week holiday
A self-guided hike along the Rhine Gorge (UNESCO world heritage) from Bingen to Koblenz, through famous villages (Kaub, Bacharach, Boppard and Rhens) and the Loreley of legend. 20 castles and local Rieslings to delight in.
Follow the route of the “Romantic Road” by train from Würzburg in the north to Füssen in the south of Bavaria. We continue into Austria and visit the best known Castles and Palaces of King Ludwig. Our travels also include a rack railway and cable car to the summit of Germany's highest mountain, Zugspitz.
Elaborate architecture and exceptional cuisine, legendary landscapes and live history on the streets – western and central Europe is a place well worth its accolades
• Nine guest Tour Directors, who will join us at different stages of our journey, shine a spectrum of lights on the history of this commanding waterway, its artistic and musical heritage
• Journey from Passau to Budapest, taking in the treasures of Melk, Vienna, Bratislava and Esztergom en route
Experience Leipzig’s wonderful production of Wagner’s ‘Ring Cycle’, conducted by Ulf Shirmer . Pre-performance lectures with exploration via piano of the complex leitmotif structures of each opera given by Peter Hill. Explore how Bach & other composers lived & worked in the city. Day spent in the court city of Weimar.
The Hollweger Hotel is our luxury choice, offering an exceptional experience. Set on Wolfgangsee, just an hours' drive from Salzburg, this holiday offers a classic Lakes and Mountains experience.
Just as the Alps transcend national borders, so too does this cultural journey by rail, taking in Munich, Innsbruck, Verona and Venice.
