Globus > THE BEST OF GERMANY

THE BEST OF GERMANY
15 Days starting from $2,479

Countries Visited:
Germany, Switzerland

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Length: 15 Days
Type: First Class Tour
Category: REGIONAL DISCOVERY EUROPE
Operator: Globus
Tour Code: ZE-2008
   
 
About This Tour


This 15-day trip is for those who wish to see more of this fascinating country. From Frankfurt enjoy a Rhine cruise and stops in Remagen and Coblenz, with the possibility to do an optional excursion to an original Rhine castle. In Cologne visit the cathedral, then board the first-class Eurocity train to Hamburg, where sightseeing and a scenic harbor cruise await you. Next via pretty Celle to Berlin, where a Local Guide will guide you through the city. Stops are made in Luther’s Wittenberg and in Leipzig, on the way to Dresden. Here, a guided visit to the Zwinger Palace is included. Via Weimar and Wartburg’s castle drive to Erfurt and Würzburg, with an included excursion to romantic Rothenburg. Then arrive in Bavaria, and enjoy a highlight visit to King Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein Castle and a two-night stay in the Bavarian capital, Munich.

 
  • What's Included
  • Itinerary
  • Dates & Prices
  • Sightseeing Highlights
  • SPECIALS

City Highlights
FRANKFURT
Welcome dinner

RHINE CRUISE

REMAGEN
Picture stop

COBLENZ
Afternoon stop

COLOGNE
Visit the gothic cathedral

COLOGNE-HAMBURG
By Eurocity train (first-class)

HAMBURG
Guided sightseeing, visit St. Michael’s Church; harbor cruise

CELLE
Morning stop

BERLIN
Guided sightseeing, visit Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

WITTENBERG
Morning stop

LEIPZIG
Visit Bach’s Thomaskirche

DRESDEN
Guided sightseeing, visit Zwinger Palace and the Green Vault

WEIMAR
Guided sightseeing, visit the Herder Church

ERFURT
Orientation

WARTBURG
Guided visit of Wartburg Castle

WÜRZBURG
Visit the Gardens of the Residenz

ROTHENBURG
Orientation

NEUSCHWANSTEIN
Visit King Ludwig’s Castle

MUNICH
Guided sightseeing, visit Marienplatz; farewell dinner

Meals
13 buffet breakfasts (BB); 8 three-course dinners (D), including a welcome dinner in Frankfurt and a farewell dinner in Munich

Hotels:
FRANKFURT Holiday Inn Frankfurt North (F), COLOGNE Renaissance (SF), HAMBURG Best Western Queens (SF), BERLIN Hilton Berlin (SF), DRESDEN Mercure Newa (F), ERFURT Radisson SAS (F), WÜRZBURG Dorint Novotel (F), MUNICH Holiday Inn City Centre (F)
Day 1:
(Sun.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Frankfurt, Germany. (Mon.) Time to rest or to explore the bustling metropolis on the River Main. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)

Day 3:
Frankfurt–Remagen–Coblenz–Cologne. (Tue.) A special treat at the very start of your journey through Germany is a RHINE CRUISE along the most scenic section of the Rhine River. Next, stop at the ruins of the bridge in Remagen where American troops breached Hitler’s West Wall. Then drive to Coblenz where the Rhine and Moselle Rivers come together. Enjoy time to explore this pretty town or join an optional excursion to an original Rhine castle. Continue to Cologne for your overnight stay. (BB,D)

Day 4:
Cologne–Hamburg. (Wed.) Spend the morning in Cologne and visit the awesome gothic CATHEDRAL with its twin 515-foot towers, five naves, splendid stained-glass windows, and the shrine of the Three Holy Kings. Then board the EUROCITY TRAIN to Hamburg. (BB,D)

Day 5:
Hamburg. (Thu.) A Local Guide explains the sights of Germany’s gateway to the oceans of the world: the beautiful Hanseatic City, romantic Alster Lake, ST. MICHAEL’S CHURCH, and elegant Jungfernstieg. A scenic HARBOR CRUISE is the final touch to your morning sightseeing. Afternoon at leisure. Tonight why not join an optional excursion to the nightlife district of St. Pauli with its brightly illuminated Reeperbahn? (BB)

Day 6:
Hamburg–Celle–Berlin. (Fri.) Leisurely drive through the prettiest part of the Lüneburg Heath to Celle to admire its beautifully preserved, half-timbered houses. Stop at the former East-West border before continuing to Berlin, the capital of reunified Germany. You may wish to join an excursion to explore Berlin’s “hidden past.” (BB,D)

Day 7:
Berlin. (Sat.) Sightseeing with a Local Guide in the once-divided metropolis includes the elegant Ku’damm, the restored Reichstag, Charlottenburg Palace, monumental Brandenburg Gate, and the 210 foot Victory Column in the vast Tiergarten Park. Visit the KAISER WILHELM MEMORIAL CHURCH with its bomb-damaged tower, drive along Unter den Linden Boulevard, pass the State Opera House and Checkpoint Charlie. The afternoon is free, and an optional excursion to historic Potsdam is available. Tonight is your chance to sample Berlin’s fine restaurants and nightlife! (BB)

Day 8:
Berlin–Wittenberg–Leipzig–Dresden. (Sun.) South to Wittenberg, Luther’s city, for a morning stop. Then continue to Leipzig, an important center since the Middle Ages. See the THOMASKIRCHE, where J.S. Bach worked, and the Market Square with its fine renaissance buildings. Overnight in Dresden, the former capital of Saxony on the Elbe River. (BB,D)

Day 9:
Dresden. (Mon.) Badly damaged by Allied bombing in February 1945, the city has since been restored to its baroque splendor. Your Local Guide explains Dresden’s associations with Friedrich Schiller and Richard Wagner and the magnificent architecture of the Semper Opera. Visit ZWINGER PALACE and the GREEN VAULT, August the Strong’s famous treasury. Afternoon and evening at leisure. (BB).

Day 10:
Dresden–Weimar–Erfurt. (Tue.) Morning drive to Weimar for a walking tour with a Local Guide. Hear about the giants of German literature, Schiller and Goethe, and take pictures of their residences. Next is HERDER CHURCH with its wonderful painted sermons. An optional excursion to nearby Buchenwald is available. Then arrive in Erfurt, where the fine gothic and renaissance buildings bring back the days of the Dominican Master Eckhart and Martin Luther, who spent his student days here before embarking on his journey to Wittenberg. Marvel at the medieval Krämer Bridge, on which 33 dwellings are built. (BB,D)

Day 11:
Erfurt–Wartburg–Würzburg. (Wed.) Today’s highlight is a guided visit to the Duke of Saxony’s legendary 900-year-old WARTBURG CASTLE, where Luther translated the New Testament. In the afternoon continue to stately Würzburg, beautifully situated on the vine-clad shores of the River Main. Enjoy a pleasant stroll through the lavish GARDENS of the Residenz. (BB,D)

Day 12:
Würzburg. Excursion to Rothenburg. (Thu.) Morning dedicated to the northernmost and most scenic section of the Romantic Road. Spend enough time in spectacular Rothenburg to appreciate its ramparts and towers, cobbled lanes, and 16th-century houses. Return to Würzburg with time to explore more: ask your Tour Director for suggestions. (BB)

Day 13:
Würzburg–Neuschwanstein–Munich. (Fri.) Along the smooth highway turn south towards the Bavarian Alps. Highlight today is a visit to King Ludwig’s NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE, one of the most famous German castles. Follow your Local Guide through this fairytale castle on its craggy outcrop high above a sparkling lake. Next, continue to Bavaria’s capital, Munich, for your overnight stay. (BB)

Day 14:
Munich (Sat.) Sightseeing with a Local Guide of Germany’s “secret capital” includes the Olympic Stadium, 1,000-foot-high Television Tower, Nymphenburg Palace, MARIENPLATZ with the Old and New Town Hall, and the Gothic Frauenkirche. You may wish to join an optional outing to Linderhof Castle and the Passion Play town of Oberammergau. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner at your hotel. (BB,D)

Day 15:
(Sun.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)


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Airfare Disclaimer
A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link.

Documents
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

         
Touring Date
Land Only
Land + Air
Single
(Land Only)
Single
(Land + Air)
8/24/2008 - 9/7/2008
$2,499
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8/31/2008 - 9/14/2008
$2,519
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9/7/2008 - 9/21/2008
$2,519
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9/14/2008 - 9/28/2008
$2,519
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9/21/2008 - 10/5/2008
$2,499
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9/28/2008 - 10/12/2008
$2,499
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10/5/2008 - 10/19/2008
$2,499
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10/12/2008 - 10/26/2008
$2,479
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FRANKFURT
Welcome dinner

RHINE CRUISE

REMAGEN
Picture stop

COBLENZ
Afternoon stop

COLOGNE
Visit the gothic cathedral

COLOGNE-HAMBURG
By Eurocity train (first-class)

HAMBURG
Guided sightseeing, visit St. Michael’s Church; harbor cruise

CELLE
Morning stop

BERLIN
Guided sightseeing, visit Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

WITTENBERG
Morning stop

LEIPZIG
Visit Bach’s Thomaskirche

DRESDEN
Guided sightseeing, visit Zwinger Palace and the Green Vault

WEIMAR
Guided sightseeing, visit the Herder Church

ERFURT
Orientation

WARTBURG
Guided visit of Wartburg Castle

WÜRZBURG
Visit the Gardens of the Residenz

ROTHENBURG
Orientation

NEUSCHWANSTEIN
Visit King Ludwig’s Castle

MUNICH
Guided sightseeing, visit Marienplatz; farewell dinner

CURRENT SPECIALS:

Book now and take $200 off per couple on any air-inclusive European Low Season Vacations.*

* Book a 2008/2009 Globus Europe Winter air-inclusive vacation on select carriers to receive the $100 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between June 4 and August 31, 2008 for travel commencing between October 1, 2008 and April 30, 2009. To secure the air booking, an additional deposit of $250 is required, which is refundable until the time that the flight information is confirmed. Offers not valid with one another or any offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


Save up to $600 per stateroom on 2009 Globus River and Small Ship Cruises

Discover an entirely new way to uncover the wonders of the world with river and small ship cruises. From a wine tasting adventure through the vineyards of France to island hopping in the Galapagos Islands, you’re sure to find a Globus river or small ship cruise that speaks to your heart. There’s simply no more peaceful way to sample the charming cities and awe-inspiring sights of Europe, China, Egypt and the Galápagos Islands.

*Book a 2009 Globus River Cruise air-inclusive vacation to receive the $300 off per person offer. Cruise-only bookings are eligible for the $125 off per person offer. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between May 14 and August 31, 2008 for travel through December 31, 2009. To secure the air booking, an additional deposit of $250 is required, which is refundable until the time that the flight information is confirmed. Offers not valid with one-another or any other offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


Standard Offers and Specials provided by Globus

Discount for young travelers

Share the pleasure of a Globus vacation with your children and grandchildren and take advantage of a 10-percent discount on the land-only price. For eligibility, children must be under 18 years of age on the departure date and must be accompanied by an adult. On escorted vacations we don’t accept children under eight years old because we have found that they are too young to enjoy these vacations.

Pay less for your second vacation

We charge you vacation price for your first vacation in 2008, but for every additional Globus vacation you take in the same year, you pay US$35 under list. Our vacations are designed and scheduled so you can combine them almost any way you want. It’s fun to play the add-a-vacation game yourself or talk to your travel agent.

Triple room reduction

On most Globus vacations you receive a reduction when three people travel together and share the same accommodations. Triple room reductions, when available, are listed on the itinerary pages. A word of caution: Triple rooms usually are no larger than twin rooms and the third bed, if there is one, is often a rollaway put in a twin-bedded room.

Avoid the single room supplement

We do not take reservations on a “share” basis because we have found that strangers rarely enjoy sharing a room for the duration of their vacation. Avoid the single room supplement by traveling with a friend. It’s less expensive and much more fun!


Do you have a large party of friends or family that wants to travel?

Right now when you book between 5 and 7 people before December 31, 2008, each passenger will save $75.* For example, book 5 passengers and receive a $375 discount, 6 passengers equals a $450 discount and 7 passengers will receive a $525 discount. With an offer like this, the world’s greatest destinations are now closer than ever!

*Book a 2009 Globus vacation for five, six or seven travelers to receive the $75 off per person offer. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between Jun 4 and Dec 31, 2008 for travel through December 31, 2009. Individuals must be traveling together from the same origination point to receive the discount. Not valid with any other offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


   
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