The Best of Germany…
with FriendsTravel.com
Day 1: FRANKFURT/ COLOGNE
Upon arrival at Frankfurt airport, you will be met and privately transferred direct to Cologne to stay two nights in a deluxe room at Excelsior Hotel Ernst, an atmospheric, “Old World” style hotel located opposite Cologne’s impressive cathedral. Member leading hotels of the World.
Day 2: COLOGNE
Enjoy the day in Cologne. You can climb 509 steps to the top of the magnificent cathedral for 360° views and visit the belfry with the world’s largest free-swinging bell. Or visit the Chocolate Museum. Further sightseeing suggestions will be included on confirmed itinerary.
Day 3: BAD SOBERNHEIM
A Mercedes Benz E220 luxury automatic car equipped with GPS (and including tax, insurance and unlimited mileage) will be delivered to your hotel at 10:00 AM. Please note that there will be a delivery fee payable direct. Then set off south along the Rhine via Bonn, Coblenz and Rudesheim to Bad Sobernheim. If driving direct, it will take about 2 hours, but you’ll want to sightsee along the way. The Rhine Valley between Coblenz and Rudesheim is the most beautiful section of the Rhine where castle ruins can be seen on either side. You’ll also pass (on the east side) the famous Loreley rock, fabled for luring unsuspecting ancient boatmen to their deaths Overnight in the main house at Romantik Hotel Bollant’s Im Park a beautiful and atmospheric hotel and wellness center set on extensive Art Nouveau grounds between a forest and a river. Bollent’s restaurant – Passione Rossa – is run by chef Renato Manzi.
Day 4: ROTHENBURG
Continue to Heidelberg, where you can see its ruined castle set on a hill overlooking the city. Then follow the Necker River valley, east to the “Romantic Road”. End you day as you check in to deluxe rooms for two nights at Hotel Markusturm, an atmospheric hotel with a history dating back to 1264. The hotel sits in the picturesque center of the medieval town and rooms are individually and lovingly furnished. http://www.markusturm.de
Day 5: ROTHENBURG
Medieval Rothenburg is considered to be the prettiest town on the “Romantic Road”. Visit the town today or explore some of the other tiny towns on the “Road”. Venturing north towards Wurzburg, you will enter the Fraconian Wine region. Wurzburg has vineyards that slope down to the edge of town.
Day 6: HOHENSCHWANGAU
Travel south along the “Romantic Road” today to Hohenschwangau (near Fussen) where you will overnight in superior castle view rooms at Hotel Muller, a charming and atmospheric Bavarian-style hotel located at the foot of two of “Mad Ludwig’s” royal castles – Neuschwanstein & Hohenschwangau.
Day 7 : HOF-BEI-SALZBURG
Sightsee your way through the Bavarian Alps to Salzburg (about 3 hours if going direct) to stay two nights in deluxe park view rooms at Schloss Fuschl, A fabulous and newly refurbished castle hotel set on a picturesque lake about 20 minutes outside Salzburg city center.
Day 8: HOF-BEI-SALZBURG
Visit Salzburg today or take a drive through the beautiful scenic mountains and lakes of “Sound of Music” country.
Day 9: MUNICH
Spend the day sightseeing your way through Southern Bavaria towards Munch. Outside Garmisch is the highest mountain in Germany. Lifts from Austria and Germany travel to the 10,000-foot summit of the Zugspitze. You can straddle the border between two great nations while enjoying an incredible view. Restaurants, shops, and telescopes await you at the summit. On the German side, the 75-minute trip from Garmisch costs €43 round-trip (buy a combo-ticket for cogwheel train to Eibsee and cable-car ride to summit, drivers can park for free at cable-car station at Eibsee. The charming wood carving town of Oberammergau is in the region, as is Bad Tolz (east of Murnau). Stop by the Wieskirche church, a textbook example of Bavarian rococo bursting with curly curlicues. The Abby of Ettal www.kloster-ettal.de is also worth a visit as is Linderhof Castle (another of Ludwig’s) considered second to Neuschwanstein in beauty. Some of these can be visited on your trip from Hohenschwangau to Salzburg. End your day in Munich which you check in for two nights at the Mandarin Oriental Munich (formerly the Raphael). This small hotel is a haven of luxury within the city’s most historic setting. Tucked away in quiet side street, yet centrally located near the famed Maximilianstrasse, it is an elegant gem of Neo-Renaissance charm and elegance, providing the highest levels of personalized service in the city. We will arrange to have your rental car collected from the Mandarin Oriental hotel. There will be a local charge for this service than cannot be prepaid.
Day 10: MUNICH
Visit Munich today or take an excursion to Nurnberg or Regensburg on the Danube
Day 11: DEPART
A private transfer will take you to the airport to board your return flight.
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