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.
4 holidays match your criteria.
A self-guided hike along the Rhine Gorge (UNESCO world heritage) between Bingen and Koblenz, through famous villages (Kaub, Bacharach, Boppard and Rhens) and the Loreley of legend. 20 castles and local Rieslings to delight in.
Journeying to the places where Johann Sebastian Bach lived and worked. The audience stays in hotels in three different places, Mühlhausen, Eisenach, Weimar and Leipzig, and the concerts take place here and in other towns.
The Rhone from Sea to Source from Rail Holidays of the World is an exhilarating holiday in France, Germany. Available from 20 Jun 2023 to 20 Jun 2023 this 14 day trip costs from £3,200.
Germany in Full Steam from Rail Holidays of the World is an exhilarating holiday in Germany. Available from 13 Sep 2023 to 13 Sep 2023 this 16 day trip costs from £2,750.
