Dresden for Christmas

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1 Dresden for Christmas What's Included Return scheduled flights Five nights accommodation in a deluxe central four-star hotel, including all breakfasts, evening meals and one lunch Porterage Personal audio guiding system Hosted drinks reception on arrival and departure Drinks included with all dinners Festive celebration dinners in the ho Mozart's Magic Flute Performance in the Semper Opera House Wine tasting and lunch at a Saxon palace winery Elbe River cruise with coffee and cake on board Services of an executive coach throughout Exclusive services of a One Traveller Tour Manager Excursions as follows: Guided walk in Dresden Admission to the historic Green Vault Meissen with coffee and cake served on the famous porcelain Boxing Day steam train ride and horse and sleigh ride Guided tour of the Old Masters Picture Gallery Not Included Holiday Insurance You need to arrange your own but we can help. For more information, please see our suggested insurance services. Itinerary Key:

2 Breakfast Lunch Dinner Drink Afternoon Tea Longer walks and steps may be involved on this day 1 Fly to Germany Meet your Tour Manager and fly to Berlin. On arrival transfer to Dresden and the Westin Bellevue Hotel on the banks of the Elbe. Evening: enjoy welcome drinks followed by dinner and drinks in the hotel. 2 Dresden and Meissen Morning: guided walk through this magnificent city, including the famous Frauenkirche; the Procession of Princes mural; The Zwinger and Buhl s riverfront terrace. There will be time afterwards to enjoy the famous Christmas markets. Afternoon: an excursion to the small medieval town of Meissen. Watch the craftsman create fine tableware s and then enjoy coffee and cake on original Meissen porcelain. Evening: dinner and drinks in the hotel. 3 Christmas Eve Morning: today you will visit the historic Green Vault, a unique museum that contains the largest collection of treasures in Europe. Founded by Augustus the Strong in 1723, it features a rich variety of exhibits from the baroque to classical periods. Afterwards there will be time to visit the Christmas markets and shops. Afternoon: free to spend more time at the Christmas markets or relax in the comfort of your hotel. Evening: lavish festive Christmas Eve buffet dinner with drinks in the hotel. 4 Christmas Day - Wackerbarth Palace Morning: after a relaxed start with a deluxe Christmas breakfast buffet you will journey to Germany's smallest wine cultivation area

3 stretching along the Elbe valley to have a wine tasting at Wackerbarth Palace renowned for its Gold Riesling where you will enjoy a Vintners lunch. Afternoon: mid-afternoon return to the hotel and a chance to relax and enjoy the hotel s facilities or have a stroll and relish the architecture of the city. Evening: dinner and drinks in the hotel followed by a performance of The Magic Flute in the grand setting of the Semper Opera house (main floor seats). On your return to the hotel coffee and dessert will then be served. 5 Boxing Day - Moritzburg Hunting Lodge Morning: take a journey into Saxony s beautiful countryside to the Moritzburg Hunting Lodge with its fairy tale setting, where you will enjoy a scenic horse and sleigh ride and a steam train ride before returning to Dresden. Afternoon: a relaxing Elbe river cruise with included tea/coffee and cake. Evening: farewell drinks reception followed by a buffet dinner with drinks in the hotel. 6 Fly home Morning: a fascinating guided tour of the Old Masters Gallery at the Zwinger, featuring works by Canaletto, Raphael, Vermeer, Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyck. There should be time for a final short stroll to enjoy the heart of the old town before the transfer back to Berlin Airport for your flight home, concluding the extra special Christmas holiday in this wonderful city. Included excursions City tour of Dresden A gentle morning walking tour of the capital of Saxony and seat of the Saxon kings painstakingly restored to its former glory. This will include the riverfront terrace, Zwinger, the Striezlmarkt Christmas market, procession of princes mural and the exterior of the Semper Opera House.

4 Green Vault World renown as one of the richest treasure chambers in Europe created by August the Strong ( ). Here you can see enchanting works of art in a baroque setting, with the treasures displayed on gilt consoles in front of mirrored walls. As well as the unique cabinet pieces created by the Dresden court jeweler Dinglinger, such as the Royal Household of the Grand Mogul and the Golden Coffee Service, there are fascinating precious objects made of gold, silver, enamel and gemstones, ivory, mother-ofpearl, coconuts and ostrich eggs. Meissen A short drive along the Elbe from Dresden is the small town of Meissen famous for its porcelain manufacture where the cross swords symbol has been applied to porcelain works since Watch the craftsman create magnificent tableware s and ornaments before enjoying coffee/tea and cake in a fine manner on Meissen porcelain. The town is dominated by the castle and church in the old market-place where the porcelain carillon rings whilst you have time to wander the town before a mid afternoon return to Dresden to explore further. Moritzburg castle, horse & carriage ride and steam train ride Close to Dresden, there is the unique Moritzburg Castle and the Little Pheasant Castle where you will take a horse and sleigh ride in its grounds and after a scenic steam train ride on Boxing Day to explore some of Saxony s surrounding countryside. The Old Masters Picture Gallery With master works including Raphael s "Sistine Madonna", Giorgione s "Sleeping Venus", Correggio s "Holy Night", Cranach s "St. Catherine Altar", Vermeer s "Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window" and Bellotto s views of Dresden, the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister enjoys a reputation that is international in scope. Other widely-known paintings by such artists as Van Eyck, Dürer, Holbein, Rubens, Rembrandt, Poussin, Claude Lorrain, Murillo, Canaletto, Tiepolo, Raeburn and Graff lead visitors to in-depth contemplation. Indeed, the collection of the Gemäldegalerie is a rare treasure trove. Your fascinating guided tour lasts one hour with time after to admire the works at your own pace. Wine tasting and lunch at a Saxon palace winery Schloss Wackerbarth, situated between Dresden and Meissen. Where Counts once resided and the court of Augustus the Strong used to hold glittering parties, this wine-growing estate awaits you on Christmas Day for a tasting of Saxon wines and a lavish Vintners lunch. Sample the Gold Riesling famous in this area. Hotels The Westin Bellevue The Westin Bellevue is an impressive 19th-century classical style building on the banks of the Elbe, a short stroll from the famous

5 Frauenkirche. All classic rooms are comfortably furnished with TV, safe, mini bar and hairdryer, and come with bathrobe, slippers and complimentary toiletries. The hotel has an indoor pool, gym, sauna and hairdresser. Meals are taken in the panoramic restaurant overlooking the river.