Bavarian Grand Tour

Enjoy an informative and entertaining walk through the heart of Munich’s beautiful old town with private guide. Along the way your guide will take you on a journey through the city’s colorful 850 year history, stopping at various attractions, which have over the years witnessed events that created not just regional, but worldwide interest. From royal scandals over great international celebrations to the rise as one of Europe’s most influential and affluent cities, Munich has experienced it all! Let your guide explain the known and reveal the secrets of this beautiful Alpine city. Entrance fees are not included.
Should you find yourself in Munich during Oktoberfest, we would be more than happy to customize your walking tour to show you the festivities.
Use your lunch hour to discover and explore the bustling cafes or world famous beer halls of Munich (not included). Ask your guide for local favorites.

In the midst of the German Alps, the magnificent towers of Neuschwanstein castle rise in all their majestic splendor – it is simply breathtaking! Set in one of the world’s most beautiful locations, the castle overlooks the idyllic 700 year old, medieval village of Fuessen. The panoramic view from the Marienbruecke (the bridge high above the castle and gorge) is spectacular with unspoilt natural lakes and valleys stretching far into the distant horizon. This tour takes a full day tour and includes vehicle and English speaking guide. Entrance fees are included in the tour cost.

Enjoy your train ride from Munich to Augsburg. Approximately 45 minute ride and is direct.

Enjoy a private half day guided walking tour of Augsburg. There are many places of interest including the Town Hall, Perlach Tower, Monumental fountains, the Bishop's Residence, Glass Palace, the Fuggeri (known as a "city within a city") and the Armorary.

Take the train from Augsburg to Steinach (which is located approximately 15 minutes from Rothenburg - thus avoiding having to take an addtional connecting train to Rothenburg). The train from Augsburg typically connects in Treuchtlingen and train duration is about 2 hours.

Enjoy a half day in the company of a local Guide as they bring you around the historical part of Rothenburg on a guided walking tour. The city is one of the star attractions along Germany's "Romantic Road". The city is justifiably celebrates not only for its well-preserved medieval buildings and walls, but also for its unspoilt setting. The market square houses two of the city’s most important buildings - the Town Hall (which was built over a 300 year period from 1250) and the historical City Councillors Tavern. The former city walls are still intact and make for a great wander around and above the city.

Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax at your hotel.

Enjoy some time exploring the city. What better way to get a bird's eye view than from the Remparts. Allow two to three hours for a walk along the medieval walls that surround Rothenburg's historic center. You'll enjoy great views of the city's rooftops and the surrounding countryside, and you can climb down along the way to admire the city's gates and other fortifications. A full tour requires 3.4 km (2.1 miles) of walking. The walkway has railings and is mostly level, but you'll need to watch your head in sections with low roofs and overhangs.

Take the train from Rothenburg to Wurzburg. The trip typically takes 1 hr and you have to change the train once.

Wuerzburg is the best place to start driving the Romantic Road. Wuerzburg remained faithful to the Roman Catholic Church throughout the Reformation. It’s been called “the town of Madonnas” because of the more than 100 statues of its patron saint that adorn the house fronts. The best known of these statues is the baroque Patrona Franconiae, also known as the “Weeping Madonna,” which stands among other Franconian saints along the buttresses of the 15th-century Alte Mainbruecke, Germany’s second-oldest stone bridge. During a walking tour of the city you will learn more about its famous sights including The Residence Palace, one of Europe’s most renowned baroque castles and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Other sites are the Fortress Marienburg, the cathedral and St Mary’s chapel.

Explore the city of Wurzburg independently. Cross the "Alte Mainbruecke", bridge which is lined with many nice statues of saints and is known as the oldest standing bridge (built 1473-1543) over the Main River. Then a lovely 20-minute walk up the wine-covered hill will take you to the Marienberg Fortress, where you can visit the castle's restaurant or relax in the beer garden.

During your time in Wurzburg, consider a guided tour to the "Juliusspital" - the third-largest wine estate in Germany for wine tasting. The 250m of vaulted cellars beneath its historic buildings are lined with huge wooden barrels, some being more than a century old - it's one of the most popular sights of Wurzburg in Germany is proud of. Alternatively, if wine is not your thing, a tour of the World Heritage Site of the Wurzburg Residence is well worth some time. Marvel at the ornately decorated palace's interior by taking a closer look at the grand staircase, the Imperial Hall and the Hall of Mirrors. After strolling through the beautiful garden a visit in the beer garden might be a good idea. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you would like something organised for you on this day.

Take the train from Wuerzburg to Nuremberg. The direct fast speed train typically takes an hour.

Enjoy seeing the gem that is the old, historical city of Nuremberg in the company of an English speaking Guide on a 3 hour walking tour. You will gain information on the castle, the fountains, wells, the city churches and art treasures, as well as a flavour about the city's colourful past and cosmopolitan present. Entrance fees are not included.

Spend the day exploring Bamberg in the company of an English speaking Guide. After being picked up from your hotel, you'll be transferred to Bamberg (approx. 1hr) where you'll meet up with your Guide and have plenty of time to see this beautiful city. The Old Town of Bamberg is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage, primarily because of its authentic medieval appearance. Some of the main sites include the Cathedral which dates back to the 12th century, the former Bishops residence from the 16th and 17th centuries and the Old Town Hall which is accessible by two bridges. It is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from getting near to Bamberg. You'll have time to have lunch at leisure, before continuing on to the city of Bayreuth. Most well known for is association with the composer Wagner, who lived here for the final years of his life, the city has plenty of interesting sights that are worth exploring. The Old and new Castle, Wager, Liszt and Jean-Paul Museums and three baroque parks are amongst the city's highlights. At the end of the day you will be returned to Nuremberg. Entrance fees are not included.

Take the train from Nuremberg to Regensburg today. The train journey typically takes about 1 hour and there are often both regular and fast speed trains that run throughout the day.

Enjoy a short boat trip (6km) upriver from Regensburg to Walhalla - a Teutonic Hall of Fame to honor German-speaking artists, writers, philosophers, scientists, and other historic figures. The impressive building which overlooks the Danube is modeled after the Pantheon in Rome. After choosing the location, Ludwig I of Bavaria ordered his architect, Leo von Kienze, to construct a Greek Revival monument based on the Parthenon in Athens. The building, called Walhalla, was built over a 12-year period (from 1830 to 1842) and became a symbol of "the German nation" at a time when Germany was a patchwork of kingdoms and small states. The white stone temple sits on a massive foundation with 358 steps that lead down to a boat landing on the Danube.

The Regensburg Tourist-Information office in the Altes Rathaus has a free "Living History" brochure that outlines four self-guided walking tours. Another good resource is Regensburg: Guide to the City with 70 Colour Pictures. As you walk around the Altstadt or Old Town, use the Tourist-Information office's free "At a Glance: Regensburg" map to identify important monuments such as: Steinerne Bruecke, the Old Stone Bridge, which has spanned the Danube for almost 900 years. At the bridge's head next to the Altstadt is the Brueckturm or Bridge Tower where you can see exhibits about the Danube and enjoy a view of the city's rooftops. Porta Praetoria, a Roman gatehouse built in 179 A.D. This portal, which lies between the Cathedral square and the Danube, was the northern entrance to the Castra Regina military camp in the time of Marcus Aurelius.

Regensburg, Germany's medieval center has earned a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list, but the city has its modern side, too--including a state-of-the-art BMW plant where some 10,000 skilled workers produce the BMW 1 Series, 3 Series, M3, and specialized vehicles such as police cars. Since the factory opened in 1986, more than three million BMWs have emerged from its flexible assembly line. Consider doing a two-hour guided tour of the plant which lets you walk right into the middle of the action: During your visit to the body shop, for example, you'll be surrounded by giant conveyors that lift car bodies into place for automated welding by computer-controlled robots. Other highlights include the "wedding" of engines and car bodies (with a cluster of automatic bolt-drivers rising up to lock the engines into place) and a final-assembly line where cars from different series--many of them customized for individual buyers--are put together one after the other in a remarkable display of logistical efficiency. Whether you're a liberal who's concerned about worker welfare or a capitalist who values productivity and quality control, you'll be impressed by the thought that has gone into making the assembly line "worker-friendlyThe plant is cleaner and better lit than many people's kitchens, and there's less noise than you'd expect. (I've worked in newsrooms that had less charm than the BMW factory's assembly line).

Take the train from Regensburg to Passau today. The train journey typically takes about 1 hour by direct train.

Try your hand at being a Patissier (baker) and create some high quality marzipan using the original "Passauer Toelpel“. Enjoy a glass of Passau wine “Stiftswein” in the historical wine tavern the "Heilig-Geist-Stift-Schenke“ - the perfect accompnaiement to the sweet marzipan!

Enjoy a full day shared excursion which will take you over the border and into the Czech Republic. You'll first travel along the reservoir of the river Moldau to the birth place of the bohemian writer Adalbert Stifter, to Horni Plana. Then continue on to Cesky Krumlov, the heart of Bohemia and a UNECO world cultural and natural heritage site. If time allows, there will also be a visit to the town of Prachatice with its charming sgraffiti houses before returning to Passau.

Fee 2010/2011: 200 €

Take the direct train from Passau to Munich today - the journey is typically around 2 hours and 15 minutes in duration.

Meet your driver for a private transfer between the airport and your accommodation in Munich.