Picturesque Lakes Mountains & Villages
Day 1 - Depart USA Overnight transatlantic flight to Frankfurt.
Day 2 - Arrive Frankfurt Your European experience starts this morning when you are at the airport by Trafalgar and taken to your hotel. Later in the afternoon we will enjoy an orientation tour of the city of Frankfurt, highlighting the picturesque and historical Romerhof with its ancient architecture, old Town Hall, new Town Hall and gothic churches. This Evening we will enjoy dinner together at our hotel. (Dinner)
Day 3 - Frankfurt - Wurzburg - Rothenburg A short journey on the 'autobahn' brings us to the old Franconian capital of Wurzburg. This Episcopal city is beautifully situated in a vineyard-fringed basin in the Main Valley and is the centre of wine production and marketing in Franconia. We will see the 18th century Residenz of the Prince Bishops, the fine 11th Century Cathedral and have time to explore the quaint streets of the old town. We will also drive up to the old fortress of the Marienberg - the 13th century home of the Prince Bishops, which affords excellent views across this attractive city. Then in the heart of Franconia and to Bad Mergentheim - a spa town located in the valley of the river Tauber, ringed by hills covered with forests and vineyards. Orientation includes the Marktplatz and the Castle of the Teutonic order. Finally a scenic drive along the valley of the river Tauber brings us to Rothenburg - with its surrounding walls and towers, virtually untouched since the Thirty Years War - a completely preserved medieval town. After dinner at our hotel tonight, you may wish to enjoy a guided evening walk of this fascinating town. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner
Day 4 - Rothenburg - Romantic Road - Neuschwanstein - Oberammergau - Innsbruck (Igls) (2 nights) After an orientation of the town this morning when we will learn of the famous 'Master Draught' and have time to shop in some of the most enticing shops in Germany, we will enjoy a drive along the bucolic Romantic road, lined with picturesque medievil villages. We will make a picture stop in one of these villages, before continuing to King Ludwig the Mad's Neuschwanstein in Bavaria. The castle used in the film ' Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' is perhaps the most famous in Europe - the model for Walt Disneys productions and theme parks. From here it is but a short drive to Oberammergau - the beautifully frescoed village where the Passion Play takes place every ten years, for an orientation tour. Then via the premier ski-resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, overshadowed by Germay's tallest mountain, the Zugspitze, we continue along the breathtaking Fernpass to Innsbruck in Austria- the capital of the Tyrol, encircled by the majestic Alps. Tonight, we stay in the nearby village of Igls filled with wooden chalets and surrounded by Alpine meadows. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 5 - Innsbruck (Igls) - orientation and at leisure This morning orientation will show us the Old Town with its Golden Roof and Hofburg Palace, the baroque Wilten Basilica and views of the Olympic ski-jump. Then you have time to shop for Swarovski silver crystal or other souvenirs and perhaps enjoy some 'Kaffe and Kuchen' in an open-air cafe inside the old town walls. Later you may wish to take a horse and carriage ride through bucoloic Alpine scenery or to visit one of the many interesting museums in the town. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 6 - Innsbruck (Igls) - Liechtenstein - Lucerne (2 nights) Our route today takes us along the Arlberg, where skiing developed in the 1930's. Then to the principality of Liechtenstein, where we stop in the tiny capital Vaduz - overlooked by a 700 year old Castle, home to the Liechtenstein family. Here you will have time to purches stamps - a prize for philatelists everywhere, to shop for souvenirs and to enjoy some of the pastries for which the cafes are famous. The landscape around the Principality was a source of inspiration for Johanna Spyri who came from this area. We continue into Switzerland and to breathtaking landscapes of mountains and lakes dotted with old wooden chalets and herds of Simmental cows grazing on lush green pastures. Soon we are approaching the Lake of the Four Cantons - Lucerne. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 7 - - Lucerne orientation and at leisure Orientation of this medieval city shows us the covered Bridge, the Jesuit Church and the moving memorial to those Swiss guards who died during the French Revolution in Paris - the Lion monument. Then you have free time to shop for delicious Swiss chocolates, fine precision timepieces and jewellery and to perhaps take a trip up a nearby mountain peak. This evening, why not try out some Swiss cheese fondue at a lively Folklore show" (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 8 - Lucerne - Interlaken - Zermatt (2 nights) A drive along the lake brings us to the winding Brunig Pass and to the lakes of Thun and Brienz. In-between the two lakes lies the charming resort of Interlaken where we will stop to admire the awe-inspiring scenery and perhaps enjoy a spot of lunch! Weather permitting, there will be views of the mighty Jungfrau Mountain, which rises behind the town. Then vistas of mountainous crags and snow-capped peaks regale us on our journey up to Tasch where we transfer to mini-buses for the exciting ride up to the car-free Alpine resort of Zermatt where we spend the next two nights. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 9 - Zermatt at leisure The quiet atmosphere of this chalet filled mountain village will take you back in time as the only vehicles to traverse the streets are horse-drawn carriages-(and a few electric vans to transport luggage). You will delight in the atmospheric restaurants and cafes, the gorgeous boutiques and the green meadows surrounding the village as you ahve plenty of time to relax and explore. you may wish to have better views of Europe's most famous mountain, the Matterhorn by taking a cable car trip to one of the surrounding peaks! Your Tour Director is on hand to advise you on how to make the most of your time here. (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 10 - Zermatt - Gruyeres - Montreaux Today we will leave the german-speaking part of Switzerland when we drive along the Rhone valley, to reach the Swiss Romande - or French speaking Switzerland. Then a pretty drive via Chateau d'Oex brings us to the small traffic-free and fortified town of Gruyeres set in the harmoniuos landscape in the Sarine Valley. We will visit the Maison de Gruyeres where we will learn how this delicious cheese is made and will have time to sample one of the towns specialities - the 'meringue a la creme de la Gruyere' in one of the old inns lining the picturesque main street. Then down to the shores of Lake Geneva to take pictures of the Chateau of Chillon - celebrated in Byron's poetry. We stay the night in elegant Montreux - famous for its jazz festival - where we have time to explore the elegant boutiques and spy the rich and famous! (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 11 - Montreux - Berne - Black Forest (Villingen) A short drive brings us to the capital of Switzerland - the surprisingly compact and attractive city of Berne. We will visit the old town with its ancient towers, pretty fountains decorated with flowers and statues and the narrow streets festooned with flags. We will also visit the Bear pit - where the bears that give the city its name are kept today. Finally we continue into Germany at the city of Basel on the Rhine and drive along the Rhine Rift Valley to Freiburg in the Black Forest. Located on the banks of the river Dreisam, Freiburg has an impressive Minster dating back to the 13th century and is one Germany's greatest gothic structures. Then a drive through the dark hills of the Black Forest via Neustadt to our hotel. (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 12 - Black Forest (Villingen) - Triberg - Heidelberg - Rhine Cruise - Rudesheim Our first stop this morning is in Triberg - the village where the cuckoo clock was invented! We will witness master craftsmen making these works of art and have a chance to try out some Black Forest cherry cake, before driving through through a landscape of old wooden farm houses surrounded by cherry trees and conifers on the undulating hills. Then down to the Neckar valley and the university city of Heidelberg. Here we will explore the courtyards of the Renaissance castle perched on the hill overlooking the baroque city. Time downtown to explore the pedestrian area filled with Student Inns - of Student Prince fame! Finally we embark in the village of Boppard for a scenic Rhine cruise seeing the legendary Lorelei rock, and a plethora of romantic castles and wine villages. We Disembark in the charming wine village of Rudesheim where we stay the night. Later why not take a stroll along the banks of the Rhine and try out some of the local wine" (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 13 - Rudesheim - USA This morning we are transferred to Frankfurt airport at the end of a truly European experience - one that will remain as a fond memory for the rest of our lives! (Buffet Breakfast)
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