German Fairytale & Berlin

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will depart on self-drive basis for a day trip to Rothenburg ob der Tauber along the Romantic Road. In the morning follow the Romantic Road via Bad Mergentheim (you might want to visit the market place), Weikersheim (you may want to visit the Renaissance Palace and Garden) and Creglingen (Riemenschneider Altar in the Church of the Lord) to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, one of Germany’s most beautiful medieval cities.Your hotel is located in the historic Old Town, within the Old City Walls which are surrounding the complete town center. Taking a walk thru this charming little town is truly a journey back in time.Rothenburg ob der Tauber was once a powerful free imperial town and its monuments, landmarks and buildings still bear witness to these days. Marvel at the half-timbered buildings and at town walls which are withstanding time since hundreds of years, protecting the city since the Middle Ages.Optional Sightseeing in Rothenburg:Visit the town’s most famous spot, the Ploenlein square, probably the most photographed place in Rothenburg. The Gothic St.James Chursch is the town’s most prominent church, here you can take a minute and relax in quietness while you enjoy the beauty of the famous Altar of the Holy Blood and theTwelve Apostles Altar. Rothenburg also offers museums which are cultural highlights, such as the Christmas Museum (admission included) with an exhibition showing Christmas tradition in Germany, the Doll and Toy Museum where the history of playthings is shown, as well as the Crime Museum, where the visitor gets an insight into the law and especially its execution during the last 700 years. In the evening return to your hotel in Wurzburg. Overnight at hotel in Warzburg. (B)

Breakfast at the hotel and check out. This morning take the Autobahn northbound directly to the city of Leipzig, which is on your way to Lutherstadt Wittenberg. Travel time to Leipzig is about 3 hours. In the eighteenth century Leipzig developed into a major music metropolis. Great musicians such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelssohn artholdy, Robert Schumann, and Richard Wagner all lived and worked in the city. The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the St. Thomas Boys Choir, the Opera House Ballet, and a host of other ensembles form cornerstones of a lively music scene. Optional Sightseeing in Leipzig: St. Thomas Church, is St. Nicholas Church. St. Nicholas is the oldest church in Leipzig’s city center and dates back to the year 1165. Visit the Old City Hall which was built in 1556. It is today held to be one of the finest example of municipal Renaissance architecture in Germany. Drive on for about half an hour to Lutherstadt Wittenberg. Your hotel is located in the historic city center. Optional Sightseeing in Wittenberg: The Schlosskirche (Castle Church) where texts of the 95 Theses are cast in bronze on the door. Tour the Lutherhalle (Luther House) Museum. In 1508, when Martin Luther came to Wittenberg, he lived here with other Augustinian monks. Later, Luther and his wife, Katharina von Bora, raised six children here and hosted many guests. Visit the Stadtkirche St. Marien (St. Mary’s church) where Luther preached and where his children were baptized. Overnight at the Wittenberg. (B)

After breakfast at the hotel you will check out. Drive on to Berlin, Germany´s Capital City. You will need about an hour and a half to get to your hotel which is located right in the City Center. It is not easy to describe this great metropolis, which fascinates the visitor both with its culture as well as with its history. Optional Sightseeing in Berlin: Berlin visitor wants to walk thru the Brandenburger Tor, Berlin’s only preserved town gate which became a symbol for the separated city as is was once located in “no man’s land” directly at the Berlin Wall. The Reichstag (Parliament) with its new dome is the most visited monument in Berlin, its eventful history reflecting the turbulence’s of German history. Berlin’s “Museumsinsel” (Museum Island) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this “title” has also been rewarded to the castles and parks of the city of Berlin. Stroll along “Unter den Linden”, Berlin’s most beautiful street, the “old” heart of the city, leading from the Brandenburger Tor to the “Schlossbrücke”. Or how about Friedrichstrasse, this legendary road where the tradition of the “Golden Twenties” is combined with the architecture of the New Berlin. Overnight at hotel the Berlin’. (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will enjoy the various other Places of Berlin. Sightseeing in Berlin: Visit the Memorial Church of Kurfürstendamm, the Gendarmenmarkt square which forms a beautiful and harmonious architectural synthesis with the Konzerthaus (concert hall). There are the German Cathedral and the French Cathedral with their impressive architecture & the Potsdamer Platz with ultra-modern buildings, with shops and entertainment. Checkpoint Charlie” hardly needs any explanation at all, at the former border crossing American and Russian tanks stood vis-a-vis after the wall had been built in 1961.After the visit you will return back to the hotel. Overnight at hotel in Berlin. (B)

After breakfast at the hotel, you will check out and drive to Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city, where quite often a fresh breeze coming from the North Sea greets the visitors. You will be right in the City Center at the “Binnenalster” (a large inner-city lake). Optional Sightseeing in Hamburg: Take a short cruise on a boat along the Alster river. Along the short boat trip you will see some romantic and hidden places which otherwise cannot be seen. Speicherstadt (“warehouse quarters”), the houses all have an entrance to the street and one out to the water in order to easily unload the ships bringing in merchandise. Take a look at the harbor of Hamburg and the Elbe River. Bremen is located about an hour and a half from Hamburg. Check in the hotel and freshen up. Take a walk through the “Schnorr“, the towns oldest living quarters. Overnight at Bremen Hotel. (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. You will check out and enjoy some Bremen Sightseeing. Optional Sightseeing in Bremen:Bremen, home to the famous Bremen Town Musicians, before you drive on to Hamelin. Bremen’s Town Hall with its Renaissance architecture is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and definitely a “must see”.The statue of the “Roland” and the bronze display of the Bremen Town Musicians on the Town Hall’s western side it is an incomparable tourist attraction. Later you will drive from Bremen to the famous city of Hamelin is just about two hours. Hotel is located right in the historic city center. In Hamelin you will find many historic stone- and timber-framed-buildings, many built in the Renaissance style. Optional Sightseeing in Hamelin: Visit the “Rattenfangerhaus” (Pied Piper House), the “Dempterhaus” and the “Hochzeitshaus” (wedding house). The Munster is the oldest church in Hameln. Services have been held here for over 1,000 years. Enjoy the rest of the day and the evening in this lovely historic town! Overnight at Hamelin Hotel. (B)

After breakfast the hotel, you will check out and drive to Alsfeld. Optional Sightseeing in Hann Munden: Along your way you may want to visit the small town Hann Munden as well as the city of Kassel. Hann Munden is a historic town “off the beaten tracks”. Tour in the Old Town with its more than 700 half-timbered houses. In front of the Town Hall you find the “Doctor Eisenbart Play“. Drive on to Kassel, the heart of the Fairy Tale route. Here in Kassel the Brothers Grimm lived for over thirty years, working as librarians at the Electoral Library, known now as the Fridericanum, Europe’s first public museum, which today is the center of the documenta exhibitions. Optional Sightseeing in Kassel: The Murhardsche Bibliothek (Library) which houses the Brothers Grimm archives and is seat of the Brothers Grimm Society in Kassel. The beautiful Schlosspark Wilhelmshoehe,called “Mountain Park”, there is the Lion’s Castle, built in the years 1793-1806, it resembles the ruin of a medieval English knight’s castle. Short hike up to the Hercules Monument, Kassel´s landmark, from here you have magnificent view over the city. Driving time from Kassel to Alsfeld is about an hour. The hotel is located in the City Center. Take a walk through the historic town center with the late Gothic Town Hall, one of the most important half-timbered buildings in Germany. Optional Sightseeing in Alsfeld: Altenberg Castle and Castle Church built in the 18th century and also worth a visit. Overnight at Alsfeld hotel. (B)

After breakfast at the hotel. You will drive back to Frankfurt airport. Frankfurt is a very modern metropolis which nevertheless offers many historic sites such as the Roemerberg with the historic Roemer Town Hall, it’s beautifully restored timber-framed houses and the Cathedral, located on the opposite side. Drop the car at the airport and take the flight back home with wonderful memories of the trip. (B)