Day 1 Exeter Services: Transfer Hotel: Rocco Forte Charles Day 2

Transcription

1 Day 1 Munich Arrival into Munich. Your driver will be waiting for you in the arrival hall just after you clear Customs and collect your luggage. Transfer by private car to the Rocco Forte Hotel Charles. After check-in, enjoy an afternoon at leisure. Exeter Services: Transfer Day 2 Munich This morning, your guide will meet with you for a tour of Munich. Begin with a walk through the historical city center. The heart of the old town (Altstadt) is Marienplatz, a colorful square dominated by the New City Hall. Don t miss the Viktualienmarkt, the open-air food market frequented by locals and tourists alike. It s a great place to pick up a fresh pretzel for a snack. In the afternoon, you will have a choice of visiting one or two of Munich s fabulous museums. We suggest the Pinakothek der Moderne. Designed by the German architect Stephan Braunfels, this museum was opened in September 2002 and features works divided into four sections Art, Architecture, Design and Works on Paper. If you are interested in the 19th to early 20th century art, we recommend the Neue Pinakothek. Alternatively, your guide can also take you to the Nymphenburg Palace. This impressive palace was a summer residence of five generations of Bavarian Royalty and it is the largest palace in Germany as it has been extended and rebuilt for over 200 years. Don t miss the palace s most famous feature the Gallery of Beauties 36 pictures of local ladies painted for King Ludwig. Exeter Services: Half-Day Car & Driver & Full-Day Guide Day 3 Munich Neuschwanstein - Munich This morning your guide will meet you in your hotel lobby for a drive deep into Bavaria and into the Alps. Today you will visit Neuschwanstein, one of the most recognized symbols of Bavaria. It took 17 years and over 6 million Gold Marks to turn Mad King Ludwig II s fantasy into reality. Set in one of the world s most beautiful locations, the castle overlooks the idyllic 700 year-old medieval village of Füssen. The views from the castle and from the Marienbrücke Bridge are priceless. Although the castle is still, to this day, unfinished, the interior is stunning. Neuschwanstein is designed in the authentic style of old German knights castles and is decorated in themes from Wagner s operas. The castle is extraordinarily busy all summer long. We avoid lines as much as possible by booking a pre-set entrance time. If time allows, you may also visit the

2 romantic castle of Hohenschwangau, located just below. Exeter Services: Full-Day Car, Driver & Guide Day 4 Munich - Berlin This morning, meet your driver for a transfer to the train station or airport for a train or flight to Berlin. (Train/Flight tickets are not included in the price.) Upon arrival in Berlin, your driver will wait for you on the platform and transfer you to the Rocco Forte Hotel De Rome located in the heart of Berlin in one of our favorite areas Gendarmenmarkt. This area is filled with shops, restaurants and beautiful sites. In the afternoon, your guide will meet you in the lobby for a half-day walking tour of Berlin. Begin with a stroll down Unter den Linden. Berlin's magnificent boulevard and the centerpiece of the Old Berlin, Unter den Linden leads from the Schlossbrücke Bridge to Pariser Platz at the Brandenburg Gate. You will see the renewed beauty of the Pariser Platz. The new buildings which have been added to this historic square are based on their historic forbearers. This area was originally a parade ground. Noble villas, embassies and the luxurious Hotel Adlon arose around the square, which was then destroyed in the Second World War. You will also see the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin s only remaining city gate and a symbol of the city. Situated as it was in the no man s land just behind the Berlin Wall, it also became symbolic of the division of the city. The Reichstag was built in the late 19th Century to house the German Parliament. The building was badly damaged by fire, and renovations did not start until well after the end of the Second World War in As part of the rebuilding, the dome and most of the ornaments on the facades were removed. The latest rebuilding project began in 1995 transformed the Reichstag into a modern parliamentary meeting hall with an elliptical dome. Please let your guide know if you wish to stop in for the journey to the top of the dome. Lines tend to be quite long. To expedite this, should you have a reservation to dine at the restaurant at the top, you can get to the dome with no line. Exeter International is happy to secure a reservation for you if you wish. Special Note: All of the touring this morning is on foot. Please wear comfortable footwear. Exeter Services: Transfers; Half-Day Guide in Berlin Day 5 Berlin This morning your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby for a tour of the Museum Island just a short walk from your hotel. First you will visit one of Berlin s best museums the newly reopened Neues

3 Museum. Here you will find the bust of Nefertiti in her stunning new environment. This museum houses the contents of the Egyptian museum, as well as the Museum of Pre- and Early-History. This visit is by appointment only, so the order of your day may change to accommodate this. Next, you may wish to visit the Pergamon Museum, filled with a fabulous collection of ancient Greek art. Its main attraction is the Pergamon Altar (2nd century BC). The frieze depicting the battle between the Gods and Giants is regarded as a masterpiece of Hellenistic art. See the market Gate of Miletus, an outstanding example of Roman architecture. Do not miss the northern wing, containing classical sculptures from the archaic age to the Hellenistic period, ancient copies of Greek originals as well as Roman art. On Museum Island, you will also find the imposing Dom Cathedral. Once the court cathedral of Prussia s royal family, the Berliner Dom was conceived as a Protestant answer to St. Peter s Basilica in Rome. This afternoon is at your leisure. You may wish to spend some time in the area called Hackesche Höfe, located nearby. Hackesche Höfe is a series of ambitiously restored industrial courtyards which are now at the centre of Berlin night life. The whole area is a hive of smart restaurants and trendy clubs. It is the perfect place to relax at the end of a long day. But do leave time to take a walk later along Oranienburgerstraße where a seemingly endless array of restaurants, cafes and bars await you. Special Note: All of the touring this morning is on foot. Please wear comfortable footwear. Exeter Services: Half-Day Guide Day 6 Berlin This morning your guide will meet you to take you to explore some of Berlin s Jewish Heritage. If this is of interest, two sites stand out the New Synagogue and the Jewish Museum. The synagogue was first inaugurated in 1866 and features the oriental-influenced architecture that was popular at the time. The synagogue was heavily damaged by Allied bombing in World War II and was essentially demolished in 1958, except for the front façade and entrance. In 1995 it was reopened as a museum showing the history of the synagogue and of Jewish life in Berlin. Later, continue to the Jewish Museum. In September of 2001, Europe's largest Jewish museum opened in Berlin. Daniel Libeskind's spectacular new building on Lindenstraße was a hit even before the permanent exhibit opened. The building has a unique architectural design of a burst Star of David. The permanent exhibition traces the high and low points of German-Jewish history from the end of the Roman Age to the present day. Exeter Services: Half-Day Car, Driver & Guide

4 Day 7 Berlin-Dresden This morning, check-out and meet your driver for a transfer to the train station for a train to Dresden. (Train tickets are not included in the price.) Upon arrival in Dresden, your driver will wait for you on the platform and transfer you to the Hotel Kempinski Taschenbergpalais. Once known in the 18th century as the "Florence of the north" due to its priceless art treasures and exquisite architecture, Dresden is sure to enchant you after the big- city feel of Berlin. From your hotel it is an easy stroll to the Altmarkt, the city's central square since the 13th C. (destroyed in 1945). It owes its present handsome and imposing aspect to the use of typical Dresden Baroque architectural forms in the rebuilding, which began in Exeter Services: Transfers Only Hotel: Kempinski Taschenbergpalais Day 8 Dresden This morning your guide will meet you in your hotel lobby. Begin with a stroll on the Brühlsche Terrasse, a 930 meter long promenade above the River Elbe, known as "Europe's balcony". No visit to Dresden is complete without a visit to the Zwinger, a beautiful Baroque structure housing several museums. We recommend a visit to the Old Masters Gallery, to see Dresden s priceless art collection including Raphael s famous Angels. You will see the famous Green Vault and its one of a kind collection of gemstones, gold, ivory, objects d art and historic treasures. If possible, your guide will also take you into the Frauenkirche. Originally completed in 1743, the Frauenkirche, or Church of Our Lady, was an architectural masterpiece for its time. The church s most incredible feature was its bell-shaped dome of solid stone. Unfortunately, the church was reduced to rubble after Allied bombing in World War II. After an international rebuilding effort, the Frauenkirche has just recently reopened. Your guide will be happy to describe the unique way this important Dresden monument was reconstructed. The remainder of this afternoon is at your leisure. If you re game, we recommend a stroll across the Elbe from Old Town. This puts you into Dresden s Neustadt (New Town), which is actually older than the Old Town, dating back to Be sure to spend some time on Königstrasse (King Street). The unbroken rows of patrician houses, restored at great expense, provide a good impression of how Dresden used to look. The many inner courtyards are also worth a glance. Some accommodate tucked-away restaurants, while others invite you to spend some time shopping in their elegant boutiques and passageways full of stores.

5 Neustadt features a variety of excellent restaurants, including Caroussel, located in the Hotel Bülow-Residenz. This fine dining establishment holds Saxony s lone Michelin star and serves a variety of fish and game dishes. For a light snack (or just a good photo opportunity), we can highly recommend a visit to Pfund simply the most beautiful cheese shop in the world. It s a perfect stop for a snack or light meal and is located across Neustadt. The interior is comprised of embellished tile paintings in a neo-renaissance style and the handpainted motifs were produced in the Dresden stoneware factory of Villeroy and Boch. Note: All touring today is on foot through mostly pedestrian areas. Please wear appropriate footwear. Exeter Services: Half-Day Guide Hotel: Kempinski Taschenbergpalais Day 9 Dresden Onwards Today, check-out of the hotel and meet your driver for a transfer to the airport or train station for your journey onwards. Exeter Services: Transfer