German Grand Tour
DAY 1
Travel by Eurostar from St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord station, either in standard or Standard Premier class. On arrival in Paris, transfer to Paris Est station and board the onward train to Stuttgart Hbf. On arrival in Stuttgart, change trains and board the onward train to Munich Hbf. On arrival in Munich, check in to your hotel for the 1st night of your stay, with the rest of your day at leisure.
DAY 2 & 3
Munich, Bavaria’s capital, known as the “city of art and beer”, rests on the legacy left by the Wittelbach family, who ruled here for 700 years. Although there are many signs of their influence, and many former royal palaces to visit, Munich is far more than its past, and definitely a place where the old and the modern walk side by side.
For art and culture lovers, the best place to start is the Kunstareal, Munich’s art quarter, with 18 diverse museums displaying everything from the artefacts of Egyptian dynasties, through Dutch masters to 1960s design. Other museums in the city are just diverse, concentrating on everything from the BMW cars made in the area to the history of the world famous Oktoberfest.
Beer has been a traditional part of Munich’s life for centuries, with six huge breweries catering to the needs of the city’s hundred of beer halls and beer gardens. The most famous beer hall in Munich has to be the Hofbrauhaus, open since 1589, and this plays host, as well as many other venues to the world famous annual Oktoberfest. An estimated 6 million people attend the festival every year, with beer halls bursting with long tables of inebriated Münchners dressed in traditional Lederhosen singing along to oompah bands buoyed up by alcohol, giant pretzels and sausage.
DAY 4
Check out of your hotel and board a morning train to Berlin Hbf. On arrival in Berlin, transfer to your hotel for the 1st night of your stay, with the rest of your day at leisure.
DAY 5 & 6
Berlin has a lot to offer, with many destinations on your journey steeped in history such as the famous Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie, to name but a few.
The Museums Insel (Museum Island) contains five grand museums built between 1830 and 1930, and is the place to quench your thirst for ancient art and artefacts, as well as 19th century European art.
Although Berlin is certainly a place to go if you’re interested in history, it also has a lot to offer to entertain the senses with its vibrant alternative music and arts scene, which attracts artists from all over the world who have chosen Berlin as their adopted home. Berlin, much like New York, is a city that never sleeps, and caters for every taste.
There is much to discover for the opera and classical music enthusiast, and on the flipside, the party scene is second to none with its many bars, venues and experimental performance spaces. If you have spare time after all the history, art and music, make some time to shop at Berlin’s most famous shopping destination, the KaDeWe, or off the beaten track at any of its many flea markets, or at smaller gems like the Hackeschen Hoefe, with its smaller boutique shops offering products by young Berlin labels.
DAY 7
Check out of your hotel and board a morning train to Hamburg Hbf. On arrival in Hamburg, check in to your hotel for the 1st night of your stay, with the rest of your day at leisure.
DAY 8 & 9
Hamburg is Germany’s second largest city with its roots as a place of trade dating back to the Middle Ages as a member of the Hanseatic League. It is crossed by hundreds of canals, giving it the nickname of the “Venice of the North”.
The city is also very green, with the open spaces and woodland of the Stadt Park, and the inner city park Planten und Blomen (Plants and Flowers) whose lake offers nightly coloured fountain displays set to music. At its centre core is the Alster lake, where you can take scenic boat tours, and running alongside is the central Jungfernstieg boulevard that connects the Altstadt (old town), home to the beautiful 18th-century St. Michael’s Church with the Neustadt (new town).
The city is a major international port based on the Elbe river, and from Landungsbrucken you can regularly see huge supertankers and cruise ships cruise by, and every Sunday from early in the morning you can visit the bustling Fischmarkt (fish market) close by. Further along from here you can visit the new and expanding Harbour City complete with its newly opened ElbePhilharmonie concert hall.
The city has a very cosmopolitan and laidback atmosphere, with many bars and restaurants based in Sternschanze and the Reeperbahn, long famous for its Red Light District and entertainment venues that have acted as the birthplace of world famous bands such as The Beatles. Depending on when you travel, you can visit the Dom, the largest fun fair in Northern Germany which runs for a month every spring, summer and winter.
The city is a major international port based on the Elbe river, and from Landungsbrucken you can regularly see huge supertankers and cruise ships cruise by, and every Sunday from early in the morning you can visit the bustling Fischmarkt (fish market) close by. Further along from here you can visit the new and expanding Harbour City complete with its newly opened ElbePhilharmonie concert hall.
The city has a very cosmopolitan and laidback atmosphere, with many bars and restaurants based in Sternschanze and the Reeperbahn, long famous for its Red Light District and entertainment venues that have acted as the birthplace of world famous bands such as The Beatles. Depending on when you travel, you can visit the Dom, the largest fun fair in Northern Germany which runs for a month every spring, summer and winter.
DAY 10
Check out of your hotel and board a morning train to Cologne Hbf. On arrival in Cologne, check in to your hotel for the 1st night of your stay, with the rest of your day at leisure.
DAY 11
Probably the cultural hub of Western Germany, Cologne spans the Rhine river with its impressive twin-spired Gothic Cathedral dominating the skyline. Sitting amid the old town reconstructed after WWII, the Cathedral is famous for its collection for holy relics and for its sweeping views across the Rhine.
The Museum Ludwig is situated close by, showcasing many masterpieces by Picasso, and the city’s Romano-Germanic Museum houses Roman antiquities dating from the city’s foundation by the Romans in 38BC.
Walking through Cologne can throw many surprises, as ancient Roman Walls sit in the same spaces as plain Post War buildings, medieval churches and more avant-garde structures. There is a great feeling of bonhomie everywhere, with locals celebrating life all year round in one of the many beer halls of the Altstadt (old town). The city is also a chocoholic’s heaven, and a visit to the Lindt Museum is an absolute must, and visitors can learn about chocolate’s history, see inside a vintage chocolate shop and experience the sights and sounds of a chocolate factory, before sampling the wares.
DAY 12
Check out of your hotel and transfer to Cologne Hbf station for your return journey to Brussels Midi. On arrival in Brussels, change trains for your return Eurostar train to St Pancras International.