Day 1: Arrival in Munich
Dinner and overnight in Munich.
Day 2: Munich
Today you discover Munich. The capital of Bavaria is situated in the
north of the Alps and on the banks of the river Isar. Munich is the
third biggest city in Germany, following Berlin and Hamburg. The
city’s slogan is “München mag dich” (Munich loves you). The word
“Munich” derives from the old German “Munichen” and means “close to
the monastery”, due to the presence of Benedictine monks who have
founded the town. In 2010, the magazine Monocle ranked Munich the
most livable city in the world. In the morning, you have the
possibility to take a combined city tour by bus and foot to see the
most spectacular attractions of the city: Isartor, Marienplatz
Square, Sendlinger Tor, Stachus Square, Palace of Justice, the three
art galleries of Pinakothek, the quarters of Schwabing and
Bogenhausen, the boulevards Leopold, Ludwig and Maximilian, the
university, Odeon’s Square with the Feldherrenhalle, the churches
Theatiner and Frauenkirche, the Maximilianeum as well as the famous
Hofbäuhaus (the biggest beer hall in Munich). During the visit, you
will enjoy many sights and interesting stories! In the afternoon,
you will visit the Pinakothek. The name derives from Greek and means
art gallery. The Old Pinakothek is an art museum situated in the
artist’s quarter of Munich – the “Kunstareal”. It is one of the
oldest art galleries in the world and hosts the famous exposition
“Alte Meister”. The Old Pinakothek exposes this period of art,
whereas the New Pinakothek displays art from the 19th century and
the Pinakothek of Modern Art covers contemporary artwork. Those
three art galleries are part of the Bavarian State Picture
Collection. Dinner and overnight in Munich.
Day 3: The Island of Herrenchiemsee and its Palaces
After breakfast, you depart for Prien on the lakefront of Chiemsee.
Here, you will take the boat to the island of Herrenchiemsee. This
island has an area of 240 hectares and numerous panoramic views to
offer. Highlights are amongst others the Royal Palace with its park
and water fountains as well as the museum and the two art galleries
of the Augustinian monastery. You will visit the New Palace, the
museum of King Ludwig II of Bavaria and the galleries.
The New Palace: In 1873 King Ludwig II of Bavaria acquired the
Herreninsel as the location for his Royal Palace of Herrenchiemsee
(New Palace). Modelled on Versailles, this palace was built as a
"Temple of Fame" for King Louis XIV of France, whom the Bavarian
monarch fervently admired. The actual building of this "Bavarian
Versailles", which was begun in 1878 from plans by Georg Dollmann,
was preceded by a total of 13 planning stages. When Ludwig II died
in 1886 the palace was still incomplete, and sections of it were
later demolished. The highlights of the large state rooms are the
State Staircase, the State Bedroom and the Great Hall of Mirrors.
The king's own rooms were in the intimate Small Apartment, designed
in the French rococo style. In 1876 Court Garden Director Carl von
Effner completed the plans for a large garden resembling that of
Versailles. When the king died, only the sections along the main
axis with their famous fountains and waterworks had been completed.
King Ludwig II Museum: The museum is accommodated in twelve
modernized rooms on the ground floor of the south wing and was
opened in 1987. It documents the story of Ludwig II's life from his
birth to his tragic early death with painted portraits, busts,
historic photographs and original state robes. The king went down in
the history of music as patron of the composer Richard Wagner.
Portraits, written documents and theatre and stage set models record
this aspect of his life. The "royal residences" of Neuschwanstein
Castle, Linderhof Palace and Herrenchiemsee Palace are represented
as well as Ludwig II's other building projects. Highlights of the
museum include the magnificent furniture that originally stood in
the destroyed royal apartment in the Munich Residenz and the first
bedroom of Linderhof Palace. Elaborately handcrafted items,
showpieces that were commissioned by the king, document the European
standing of court art in Munich in the second half of the 19th
century.
Augustinian Monastery (Old Palace): The present monastery building
on Herrenchiemsee was constructed in the baroque era. The four wings
enclose a large, almost rectangular courtyard with an idyllic rose
garden. The convent tract (east wing) with halls and monks' cells
was built in 1645-49, the brewery tract (west wing) in 1661-65. In
the princes' tract (south wing), which dates from 1700-16, were the
monastery kitchen, state halls and accommodation for noble guests.
The courtyard was closed off with the prelacy tract (north wing),
built in 1727-30. In 1998 a modern internal link museum was opened
in the convent tract and princes' tract. The prelacy tract (north
wing) houses the internal link Julius Exter Art Gallery with around
100 works of the artist. The "Platanensaal" (Hall of Planes) with
its view of the Fraueninsel was planted in 1893.
En route back to Munich, you will have the chance to stop by
Rosenheim. During your visit, you will visit the park “Salinengarten”.
Since 1987 the Salingarten, in front of the Culture and Congress
Centre Ku'Ko, has been used as a sculpture garden. Large sculptures
by important sculptors from Rosenheim and environment can be seen
here. Afterwards, you will see the most important attractions of
Rosenheim, like Gillitzerblock, Max-Josef Square, the church of
Heilig-Geist, Mittertor (the oldest building in town; on the façade
to the side of the square is the emblem of Louis Rosenheim, with the
white rose against a red background), the city hall and many more.
Dinner and overnight in Munich.
Day 4: Wieskirche, Neuschwanstein & Linderhof
Today you go on excursion to Oberammergau. En route, you stop at
Wieskirche. The Pilgrimage Church of Wies (German: Wieskirche) is an
oval rococo church, designed in the late 1740s by Dominikus
Zimmermann. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983
and underwent extensive restoration between 1985 and 1991. The entry
is free of charge, a donation is highly appreciated, though. Please
note that a visit during Mass is not possible. Afterwards, you visit
the castle of Neuschwanstein. Seven weeks after the death of King
Ludwig II in 1886, Neuschwanstein was opened to the public. The shy
king had built the castle in order to withdraw from public life –
now vast numbers of people came to view his private refuge. Today
Neuschwanstein is one of the most popular of all the palaces and
castles in Europe. The setting of Neuschwanstein could not be more
idyllic. The tour of the palace (with English audio guide) begins
with a view into the servants' rooms with authentic oak furnishings
on the first upper floor. The rooms on the second floor were never
finished and today house a shop, a cafeteria and a multimedia room.
The apartments and state rooms of the king are on the third and
fourth floors. In the afternoon, you will go to the castle of
Linderhof. Ludwig II, who was crowned king in 1864, began his
building activities in 1867/68 by redesigning his rooms in the
Munich Residenz and laying the foundation stone of Neuschwanstein
Castle. In 1868 he was already making his internal link first plans
for Linderhof. However, neither the palace modelled on Versailles
that was to be sited on the floor of the valley nor the large
Byzantine palace envisaged by Ludwig II were ever built. Instead,
the new building developed around the forester's house belonging to
his father Maximilian II, which was located in the open space in
front of the present palace and was used by the king when crown
prince on hunting expeditions with his father. Linderhof Palace, the
eventual result of a long period of building and rebuilding, is the
only large palace King Ludwig II lived to see completed. Dinner and
overnight in Munich.
Day 5: Passau & Regensburg
After breakfast, you depart for Passau which is a town in Lower
Bavaria. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three
Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the
south and the Ilz from the north. You will start you day at Passau
with a boat cruise experiencing the city from a different
perspective. Passau was the largest diocese of the Holy Roman Empire
for many years. Explore the city’s historic center with its towers,
picturesque squares, and winding alleys. During your guided city
tour you will visit St. Stephen's Cathedral. Enjoy the beauty of
Passau! In the afternoon, you will arrive to Regensburg – the
northern most city of the Danube. The large medieval center of the
city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the old town there are
1,200 historic buildings which you will discover with your guide.
Despite its historical architecture, Regensburg is also well-known
for its “Historische Wurstküche,” a historic kitchen where you can
eat the best sausages. After a culinary stop, you continue to
Walhalla. The Walhalla is a hall of fame that honors laudable and
distinguished German personalities. It is housed in a neo-classical
building above Danube River, and comprehends 129 busts of famous
Germans. In the late afternoon, you will drive to Nuremberg. Dinner
and overnight in Nuremberg.
Day 6: Nuremberg & Bamberg
In the morning, your guide will take you on a city tour of
Nuremberg, which was an imperial city and international center of
commerce. Additionally, it was an early center of humanism, science,
printing, and mechanical invention. Today, the city still has many
monuments, buildings and artwork which reflect this historic
importance. During the city walk you will learn a lot about
Nuremberg’s history and see the most famous sights, like the castle,
the market square as well as numerous churches. After lunch, you
continue to Bamberg. This city is not only known for its rich
cultural patrimony, but also for winegrowing and market gardening.
Bamberg is divided into three parts: The upper town with its narrow
and winding alleys, baroque façades and its medieval appearance; the
island’s town which is the vibrant center today; and the town of the
market gardeners with its vast agricultural land and typical houses.
Let yourself be enchanted by the unique atmosphere and facet of
Bamberg! Dinner and overnight in Nuremberg.
Day 7: Wurzburg & Rothenburg
You start your day with a guided tour of Wurzburg. You will visit
Marienkapelle on the market square, and see replicas of the statues
of Adam and Eve by Riemenschneider at the entrance. Next to the
Marienkapelle you will find the “Haus zum Falken,” with its splendid
façade which is an achievement of the Wurzburg rococo period.
Passing by at the historic city hall and cathedral, you will end
your tour on Marienberg. Here, you can enjoy a wonderful view from
the fortress and its surrounding vineyards! After lunch break, you
will enter Marienberg fortress. The original castle on the
Marienberg, a hill which was first settled in the late Bronze Age,
was probably a small fort built early in the 8th century by the
Franconian-Thuringian dukes, together with a church which in 741
became the first church of the Wurzburg bishops. From 1200 an
unusually large castle was built, which was extended during the late
Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Following the storming of the
castle in 1631 by the Swedes, Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp von
Schönborn built a circle of massive bastions to protect it. In 1945
the fortress was almost completely burned out, and its
reconstruction was only completed in 1990. Afterwards, you continue
your travels northwards. Your next stop will be Rothenburg. While
exploring the city with your guide, you will learn a lot about
Rothenburg’s interesting history and its buildings, like famous St.
James' Church. Dinner and overnight in the area of Heidelberg.
Day 8: Heidelberg
After breakfast, your guide will show you around in Heidelberg.
Being situated between the river Neckar and the foothills of
Odenwald, Heidelberg is the oldest University city of Germany. The
famous castle is set against the deep green forests on the north
flank of Königstuhl hill, the red sandstone ruins tower majestically
over the Neckar valley. Descending from the castle, you will arrive
to the old town where you will find the historic market square with
one of the most beautiful fountains Heidelberg has to offer. Here,
you will admire the Baroque style houses and The Church of the Holy
Spirit, a late Gothic church. Afterwards, you will take a boat tour
on the river Neckar, and finally visit a winery where you can, of
course, taste its best wines! Dinner and overnight in the area of
Heidelberg.
Day 9: Mainz & Frankfurt
Today you leave for Mainz – the city of Gutenberg. Mainz has been
many things to many people: the Roman Castrum Moguntiacum, the
Jewish Magenza, the residence and capital of the Prince Electors, an
archbishopric, a university town and a fortified city of the Holy
Roman Empire of the German Nation. The most famous building of Mainz
is its cathedral. The foundation stone for the cathedral was laid in
975, modelling it on old St. Peter’s in Rome. Surrounding the
cathedral, you will find medieval Old Town and its zick-zack alleys
with their funny names like Little Nose Way, Hering’s Fountain Alley
or Corpse Yard. Broad, roomy squares, lovingly-restored
half-timbered houses and magnificent Baroque churches give Old Town
its charming character. Hidden behind its Rococo façades and hidden
in its bourgeois Baroque houses are elegant boutiques, cafés, and
wine bars clamoring for your attention. Despite of Old Town, Mainz
also offers buildings of modern age, like Rheingoldhalle and the
city hall, as well as buildings of Baroque and Renaissance style,
e.g. Electoral Palace and New Armory. Romano-Germanic Central Museum
and Gutenberg Museum are also worth visiting! In the afternoon, you
continue to your last stage: Frankfurt. The unique skyline, the
city’s premier sightseeing attraction, is visible for miles.
Frankfurt is the largest financial center in continental Europe and
ranks among the world's leading financial centers. It is home to the
European Central Bank, Deutsche Bundesbank, Frankfurt Stock Exchange
and several large commercial banks. During your guided tour, you
will discover historic and modern Frankfurt by seeing the Romer,
Frankfurt Cathedral and St. Paul’s Church as well as Goethe House
and Jews’ Alley. Frankfurt is also home to Germany’s most celebrated
museum landscape, offering its guests a colorful variety of cultural
highlights throughout the year. Set side by side like pearls on a
string, the museums of Frankfurt’s famous museum embankment
regularly present spectacular exhibitions of international renown.
Dinner and overnight in Frankfurt.
Day 10: Departure
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