Best of Germany and Austria

Embrace centuries-old heritage charm and modern style in the vibrant city of Frankfurt, our springboard for a delightful exploration of the best of Germany and Austria. Spend your day exploring the Altstadt and soaking up the atmosphere of a bygone era, before meeting your Travel Director for an orientation of the medieval Römerplatz and dynamic financial district. Later, we join our fellow travelers for a memorable Welcome Reception to launch our journey through the heart of Europe.

The legend of Loreley kick-starts our morning as we board a leisurely cruise along the mighty Rhine past castles and vineyard-clad hills. Stop to Connect With Locals over a Be My Guest lunch and hear tales of knights and feuding lords and ladies in a 13th-century castle perched high above the Rhine valley. Continuing to the cultural capital of the Rhineland, view the spectacular Gothic spires of Cologne Cathedral. Spend the rest of the evening exploring the city's great artistic treasures and historic town squares.

This morning, we board a high-speed train to historic Berlin, whose once-turbulent history has shaped its rebirth as the charismatic capital of Germany. Join a Local Specialist for an exploration of 'East meets West' and delve into the story behind their reunification. See the imposing Brandenburg Gate, the Tiergarten, Unter den Linden and the Reichstag building, with its famous glass dome.

Enjoy a full day to explore Berlin on your terms. You might choose to join an Optional Experience uncovering the city’s defining moments with a Local Specialist visiting the Holocaust Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie and what remains of the Berlin Wall. Later, you could head out of the city on another Optional Experience to Potsdam and Wannsee to see the site of the 1942 Wannsee Conference, cross the Glienicke ‘Spy Bridge’ and wander through the UNESCO-listed gardens of Sanssouci Palace.

Celebrate beauty through your admiration of art and architecture in beautiful Würzburg, where you will see the Prince-Bishops' residence and Marienberg Fortress, on the banks of the Main. Continue to Rothenburg and dine tonight in your hotel. Your Stays With Stories accommodation this evening is the historic Prinzhotel, built in the traditional half-timbered style lying within the 15th-century fortified town walls.

This morning, we embark on an orientation walk through the medieval center of Rothenburg, seemingly frozen in time and encircled by a fortified town wall that remains intact after centuries. Traveling south through picture-perfect landscapes of Bavaria, we arrive in Munich. We check into our Stays With Stories accommodation, the Arabella Sheraton Munich which once saw Led Zeppelin, Iggy Pop and Freddie Mercury belt out tunes in the then-hotel basement recording studio. Famous producer Giorgio Moroder founded a recording studio here in the early 1970s until the noise of the nearby subway trains forced the music to continue elsewhere.

This morning, join a Local Specialist for a guided visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial, a powerful experience that offers insight into this dark chapter of history. During your time in Munich, see the distinctive towers of the Cathedral of Our Lady, stroll through Marienplatz, and admire the impressive town hall with its charming Glockenspiel. Take time to admire the 13th-century St. Peter's Church and wander around local bakeries and traditional beer halls.