Overview
Magnificent scenery awaits you on this value-minded Germany...read more holiday. Enjoy a cruise on the Rhine River, passing castle-crested hills, terraced vineyards, and pretty, historic towns. In Bavaria, see King Ludwig II’s 19th-century Neuschwanstein Castle, nestled high in the Alps. Drive along the Romantic Road with its charming villages, cobblestone streets, walled cities, half-timbered houses, and scenic countryside, and stop in Rothenburg, a walled town that has retained its medieval character. Among the tour highlights is Lübeck, a Hanseatic city and UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in the 12th century and Veste Coburg Castle, one of Germany’s largest castle complexes. Today, the fortress houses the former art collections of the dukes of Coburg.
You’ll also enjoy the must-see sights in the cities, including Munich’s Marienplatz, the main square in the city. In Dresden, see the Zwinger Carillon Pavilion, where the 40 bells of the Glockenspiel sound every quarter of an hour. From the beautiful scenery and exciting cities to the historic sights and fun experiences, this Germany tour has it all!
Itinerary
Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and travel companions. (D)
Today's highlight is an included Rhine cruise to enjoy scenic views of the Rhineland, including the famous Lorelei rock. Next is the city of Cologne, the city known for its joyous attitude, with free time to visit the city centre. Today's Distance: 193 mi/ 310 km (B)
Journey into Niedersachsen to visit Hamelin. Admire its town centre with the historical buildings and magically fancy gables echoing the "Pied Piper" legend. Continue to Hamburg. Today's Distance: 304 mi/ 490 km (B)
Start the day with an orientation drive in Hamburg, one of Germany's greatest maritime cities. Later, depart for Lubeck, formerly a free Hanseatic city and independent state. Lubeck, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is considered the cultural capital of northern Germany. Thomas Mann, Gunther Grass, and Willy Brandt-all Nobel laureates-were among the famous residents of this city. Later, arrive in Berlin and enjoy your first evening in the capital of Germany. Today's Distance: 249 mi/ 400 km (B)
No longer divided but every bit as fascinating, Berlin was once the city of contrasts with the wall separating two different worlds. Now, the city has developed into a harmonious blend of new and old, preserving its historical buildings and impressive boulevards as well as creating brand new buildings in the contemporary architectural styles. See all of this on the included city sightseeing with a Local Guide. Consider an optional excursion this afternoon. (B)
Travel southwest to Dresden, the old capital of Saxony and at one time called the "Florence on the Elbe." On the included guided sightseeing tour, see the Zwinger Carillon Pavilion where the 40 bells of the Glockenspiel sound four times per hour, and much more. Then it's on to Leipzig, where composers Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn lived the last years of their lives. It was Mendelssohn who founded the Leipziger Conservatory in 1843. Today's Distance: 224 mi/ 360 km (B/D)
Leave Leipzig to visit Weimar, home to many intellectuals of the past but mainly known for the name given to the historical period of the "Weimar Republic." This city is also famed as the home of the Bauhaus architectural movement in the 1920s. Next stop is Coburg. Visit the dominating and mighty Veste Coburg Castle, built in 1225. Today, the castle houses the former art collections of the dukes of Coburg. Continue to Nuremberg and admire its town centre, dominated by the imperial castle. Today's Distance: 249 mi/ 400 km (B)
As you leave Nuremberg, stop for a photo at the famous Zeppelinfield. On the way to Munich, visit the quaint Medieval village of Rothenburg on the Romantic Road. Marvel at its towered gates and battlements, squares of half-timbered houses and decorated fountains. Today's Distance: 217 mi/ 350 km (B)
With a Local Guide, take advantage of the included sightseeing tour of the city known as Germany's "Secret Capital." Time to admire the beautiful main square, Marienplatz, do some shopping, and sample Munich's famous beer! (B/D)
Leave Munich and drive into the heart of the Bavarian Alps to see the most famous 19th-century, neo-romantic castle of the world, King Ludwig II's fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle. Overnight in a lovely village outside Stuttgart. Today's Distance: 192 mi/ 310 km (B/D)
The day starts with a scenic drive for a taste of the Black Forest landscapes and villages, followed by a visit to Heidelberg-location of Germany's oldest university and inspiration for the German Romantic movement. From here, continue to Frankfurt. Today's Distance: 155 mi/ 250 km (B)
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- 11 Breakfasts
- 4 Dinners
- Frankfurt Area Hotel Frankfurt Messe (First-Class)
- Rhineland Hotel Achat Monheim (First-Class)
- Hamburg NH Altona Hamburg (First-Class)
- Berlin B&B Hotel Berlin City Ost (Superior Tourist-Class)
- Berlin B&B Berlin-Tiergarten (Superior Tourist-Class)
- Leipzig NH Leipzig Messe (First-Class)
- Nuremberg B&B Hotel Nürnberg-City (Superior Tourist-Class)
- Munich Ibis Muenchen Parkstadt Schwabing (Tourist Class)
- Stuttgart Area Seminaris (Superior Tourist-Class)
- Frankfurt Area Leonardo Royal Frankfurt (First-Class)
- Airport transfers at your arrival and departure destination are not included in the price of the tour.
- Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.
- (2024) September 27 Departure – Oktoberfest
- (2024) December 6 & 13 Departures – Christmas markets. Included visits to Cologne, Lübeck, Dresden, Nuremberg, Rothenburg, and Munich Christmas markets.
Enjoy inside visits to Europe's the must-see sites with a great mix of included excursions, free time and affordable value. Read more
Cosmos build free time into every one of their holidays, so you can eat, shop, and explore the way you want. Read more
Cosmos' easy going, fun-filled and multilingual Tour Directors and Local Guides love exploring as much as you do. Read more
Trip Reviews (16) View All Most Recent 'Highlights of Germany' Reviews
The tour guide was very professional and informative and knew a lot about the areas we visited. Some lovely medieval towns which were the highlight of the trip for us. Booking through Global Journeys was easy and I would book through them again for our next trip. Not sure whether we would go with Cosmos again (this was our 9th tour with them) as the service (no porterage) has certainly dropped since the pandemic and some of the hotels leave a lot to be desired.
The highlight of the trip if we had to only pick one was the Neuschwanstein Castle, it was perched ...read more on a rocky cliff below snow capped mountains. It was just like a fairy tale with views down into the town below with an interior that needs to be seen to be believed.
We have enjoyed all 4 Cosmos trips that we have been on and would happily recommend Global Journeys to our friends and family.
The tour Director Bodi, and the coach Driver Norbert were a source of strength, knowledge and consideration for each of us individually, and collectively for the group. They extended an incredible opportunity to enculturate to the country and the ...read more people, shared with us the history, the socio-political context, the cuisine, the norms to adhere to, always in a very sensitive and informed manner. Body and Norbert were very respectful of the citizens, and every tour member.
The tour group comprised an incredible mix of warm, easy going, kind and caring people from all across the world. The coach was very comfortable and the trips were informative, scenic, comfortably paced mostly, and very enjoyable. The local coaches did their utmost to facilitate maximum knowledge and understanding, within the time limits. Some hotels were uniformly liked by everyone, a few didn't meet standards of comfort, although hotel staff were very helpful. It was truly an enjoyable journey with many fond memories which will last a lifetime. Sincere gratitude to Yvonne and the Global team.
As I have already stated this was my first overseas tour and I didn't really know what to expect. I understand that our Tour Guide was a Tour Director and not a Tour Guide, myself I would of preferred a tour guide to take me to the important places of each town, rather than providing us with an out of date map and having free time to explore the towns. In saying that I did enjoy the free time to explore the town on my own and overall I enjoyed the tour immensely, which went all too quick. My travel operator was extremely helpful and nothing was too much trouble for her to answer my many questions and assist me through the process. I will travel and book another tour with Cosmos & book with Global Journeys which will be either Greece, Italy or Spain. Thanks again.
Prices & Dates
There are currently no departures available on this trip. Either it's the end of the season and new departures will be released shortly, or this itinerary has been changed and will no longer continue. Feel free to contact us for information about when next seasons dates will be released or click here to view the general release dates for all destinations.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Cosmos. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Cosmos. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
