10 Days Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
DAY 01: NORTH AMERICA / EUROPE. Depart North America aboard our trans-Atlantic jet bound for Europe. Dinner and breakfast will be served on-board.
DAY 02: EUROPE / MUNICH. Upon arrival in Munich, we begin on a sightseeing tour: the Gothic Rathdus (town hall) with its famous Glockenspiel, the awesome twin spired Frauenkirche, Marienplatz, imperial residence Alte Pinakothec and other principle places of interest. We will also visit Dachau, a German concentration camp from World War II. Then it’s on to our hotel in Munich for dinner and overnight.
DAY 03: MUNICH / INNSBRUCK / SALZBURG. We depart Munich for Innsbruck, Rococo capital of the Austrian Tyrol. Sightseeing in Innsbruck – which is surrounded by beautiful soaring mountains – will include famed Maria Theresiastrasse as well as the Emperor Maximillian’s “Golden Roof”. We continue westward to Salzburg, Mozart’s city, where our sightseeing will include his birthplace, the Cathedral, Hohensalzburg Fortress, Mirabelle Palace, and the Old City’s Baroque churches, as well as the Getreidegasse Pedestrian shopping precinct. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 04: SALZBURG / PRAGUE. This morning we begin our journey to Prague traveling north through the impressive town of Linz and Ceske Budejovice. Upon arrival in Prague, the balance of the day at leisure.
DAY 05: PRAGUE. Our morning sightseeing tour will include Hradcany Castle, St. Vitus’ Cathedral, the Old Town, the unique Astronomical Clock and Charles Bridge. Explore this medieval city at your own pace. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
DAY 06: PRAGUE / PILSEN / NURNBERG. Morning at leisure for independent activities or just wandering and shopping, before departing this afternoon via Pilzen, and the Czechoslovakian border. We cross back into West Germany and continue to Nurnburg, famous in the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods for painters and authors such as Durer, Hans Sachs and Peter Vischer, and will include the old Fortifications and Kaiserburg as well as the Zwinger Church and other principal places of interest in this town of the “Meistersinger”. Dinner and overnight in Nurnberg.
DAY 07: NURNBERG / ULM / VADUZ / LAKE LUCERNE. We depart Nurnberg this morning driving south through to the tiny principality of Liechtenstein and its picture book capital of Vaduz, where we pause to admire the castle. On through beautiful alpine scenery to Lake Lucerne, set in an indescribably beautiful mountain and lake setting, for dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 08: LAKE LUCERNE / LUCERNE / LAKE LUCERNE. Enjoy an excursion to the most impressive countryside of Switzerland. Drive along the shores of the Lake of Sarnen, then continue our ascent through the woods to the Brunig Pass, where we make a short stop to enjoy the view over the lovely valley of Meiringen. Brienz, center of Swiss woodcarving is next. Then to Interlaken, the world famous summer and winter resort. Soon you arrive at the glacier waterfalls of the Jungfrau region. Seven glacier waterfalls inside the mountain made accessible by tunnel lift and illuminated. The Trummelbach alone drains the mighty defiles of Eiger (3970m), Monk (4099m) and Jungfrau (4158m) and carries 200 tons of boulder detritus per year. The only glacier waterfalls in Europe inside the mountain and are still accessible. Beyond Lauterbrunnen you see the Staubbach Fall, scattered in spray by the mountain breeze long before it reaches the ground. Then proceed by a very charming road to Grindelwald, the well-known winter and summer holiday resort, especially famous for the beautiful chalets. The wonderful panorama of the giants of the Alps can be seen from here. You have a glorious view of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Monk. Return to Lake Lucerne for dinner and overnight.
DAY 09: LAKE LUCERNE / ZURICH / RHINE FALLS / HEIDELBERG AREA. We depart Lake Lucerne for Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city and one of the world’s most important financial capitals. Our morning sightseeing tour of Zurich will include Bahnhofstrasse, Switzerland’s most famous shopping street. We will also visit the imposing twin-spired Grossmunster Cathedral (Zwingli’s Church), the Fraumunster Church with stained glass windows by Chagall, and the Porcelain Museum. Then it’s on to Heidelberg, situated at the banks of the Neckar River and regarded as one of Germany’s most beautiful cities: a gorgeous combination of the castle in its impressive setting and the old town amidst mountains, vineyards, forests and the river. Visit the famous castle ruins, showpiece of German Romanticism and see the world’s largest wine barrel while listening to the funny story of legendary “Perkeo”. Dinner on your own and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 10: HEIDELBERG / FRANKFURT / NORTH AMERICA. We depart for the Frankfurt Airport today for our return home – the end of an unforgettable journey.