Germany's Mountains and heritage railways

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1 Harz Mountains & Rhine Gorge 2015 Germany's Mountains and heritage railways From 1,295 per person Discover two of Germany's most picturesque regions on this fantastic two-centre holiday. We explore the half-timbered villages and stunning peaks of the Harz Mountains by heritage railway before visiting the stunning Rhine Gorge, where the legendary Lorelei Rock still casts its spell. The itinerary for your journey Tour highlights Goslar Wernigerode Quedlinburg Brocken Railway Brocken Selketal narrow-gauge railway Assmannshausen Rhine cruise to Boppard Heidelberg Day Eurostar and First Class rail to Germany Our journey to Germany begins at St Pancras International in London, where we board the Eurostar to Brussels. Sit back in your comfortable Standard Premier Class seat and enjoy a light meal and drinks before our arrival in the Belgian capital. Our journey continues by train in First Class to Cologne for an overnight stay at the Wyndham Hotel. On Day 2 we continue across Germany by train, travelling in Standard Class to Hanover. Here, we meet our coach which takes us on a journey through the brooding Harz Mountains. The low-lying mountains surround a river-carved landscape, where rushing streams wind through the rich green forests, and rugged rocky outcrops rise up towards the towering mountain peaks above. We stop in the foothills of the mountains to visit the scenic town of Goslar, a UNESCO World Heritage destination where intricate carvings adorn the front of picturesque timbered houses. Leaving Goslar, we continue to Wernigerode, which is situated in the picturesque Harz region. We spend four nights at the HKK Hotel Wernigerode, just a short walk away from the historic centre. Please note: Group HRJ506 will stay at the Maritim Hotel Cologne instead of the Wyndham. Day 3 - Brocken by steam train This morning we begin a full-day excursion on the narrow-gauge, steam-hauled Brocken Railway. The undulating forests and crystal-clear lakes of the Harz Mountain region create a terrain ideally suited to narrow-gauge railways. The terrific Brocken Railway connects the small towns and villages of the Harz region. Today's journey takes us through the vast pine forests in the foothills of the mountains, steam from the train evaporating into the tree tops. We climb steep inclines, the mighty engine straining to tackle the gradient, as we make our way to Brocken, the highest mountain in the Harz region at over 3,700 feet (1,128 metres). After some free time for lunch, we return by train to Wernigerode. Day 4 - Quedlinburg and the Selketal Railway

2 Today we travel by coach to beautiful Quedlinburg, a gorgeous town with a delightful, peaceful Romanesque church and incredibly wellpreserved red-roofed houses that give the town the feel of a model village, as if it were created from children's toy bricks. Burgberg - 'castle mountain' - is a 10th century stronghold that looms imposingly over the town. Quedlinburg's rambling, haphazard street plan leads you through charming streets lined with more than 1,600 timber-framed buildings. On one street, Wordgasse, there is a building reputed to be the oldest timber-framed house in Germany. In Quedlinburg we join the narrow-gauge Selketal Railway for a journey through the glorious, verdant countryside of the Selke Valley. Day 5 - A day at leisure Situated alongside the Holtemme River, Wernigerode is a quintessentially German town. With elaborate half-timbered buildings, simply strolling through the steep narrow streets of the town provides a feast for the eyes, not to mention the impressive Wernigerode Castle and the charming medieval Town Hall. The peaceful riverfront is another wonderful way to pass the time and soak up the relaxed atmosphere. Alternatively, you may wish to further explore the local railway network with a journey on the Brocken Railway, the Pan- Harz Railway or the Selke Valley Railway. Day 6 - Wernigerode to Assmannshausen Bidding farewell to the peaceful Harz mountains, we join the train from Wernigerode, via Hildesheim and Frankfurt, to Assmannshausen (journeys on trains will be in Standard Class), a romantic German village situated in the picturesque Rhine Gorge. We spend four nights at the Hotel Alte Bauernschänke, situated in the centre of this typical Rhineland village. Assmannshausen is well-known for its red wine, Spätburgender, with a distinctive rich burgundy colour. Day 7 - Romantic Rhine Gorge Today we take the short walk to the riverside to join a boat for the journey along the River Rhine through the prettiest and most celebrated section of the Rhine Gorge. Ancient castles peer from the top of the green banks, as we pass the imposing Lorelei Rock, a legendary rocky outcrop that soars 150 metres above the water line. We arrive in the riverside resort of Boppard*, one of the region's great wine producers. We enjoy some free time here; chance to sample some of the fantastic local wines and enjoy a stroll along Boppard's delightful riverside promenade. There is a good choice of restaurants here for lunch before we rejoin the cruise back upstream to Assmannshausen. *In October the Rhine Cruise will stop at St Goar instead of Boppard. Day 8 - A day at leisure in Assmannshausen Today is free for you to explore Assmannshausen at your leisure. Our location, close to the river and railway station, allows plenty of options for visiting towns along the river, such as Rüdesheim, another of the region's celebrated wine towns, home to the worldrenowned Drosselgasse, a street lined with traditional pubs and wine taverns.

3 Day 9 - Excursion to Heidelberg A coach excursion takes us to one of Germany's best loved cities, charming and historic Heidelberg. The town lies below its protective castle on the River Neckar and is home to the oldest university in Germany, founded in The backdrop to Sigmund Romberg's operetta, 'The Student Prince', Heidelberg was the capital of the Palatinate region for many centuries. We enjoy a guided tour and some leisure time before returning to our hotel. Day 10 - Assmannshausen to London We transfer by coach to Cologne, where we join our train for Brussels in First Class and connect with the Eurostar service to St Pancras International in Standard Premier Class. Please note Please note that while every departure of this tour will feature the same excursions, the order may differ from that shown above. Departure Dates 22 April 2015 From 1,345 6 May 2015 From 1, May 2015 From 1,395 3 June 2015 From 1, June 2015 From 1, June 2015 From 1,395 1 July 2015 From 1,395 8 July 2015 From 1, July 2015 From 1, August 2015 From 1, August 2015 From 1,395 2 September 2015 From 1,425 9 September 2015 From 1,425 7 October 2015 From 1,295 All prices are per person and assume full occupancy of the room. Please always refer to the website for up-to-date prices and availability. Trains Brocken Railway

4 The Brocken is the highest peak in the Harz Mountain range located in central Germany. A branch railway line connecting the Brocken to the Harz Mountains' existing narrow-gauge railway was proposed in 1869, but it was not until 1899 that the eighty-kilometre track was declared operational. Damaged as a result of bombing and mortar fire in the Second World War, the Brocken Railway was reopened following repair in 1949, but during the subsequent division of Germany into East and West the Brocken became a military base, its railway used only for the transportation of supplies. It was only after the historic reunification of Germany in 1990 that the train was returned to public use, and since 1992 passengers have once again able to make the spectacular rail journey, hauled by steam locomotive, to the summit of Brocken where they are rewarded with breath-taking panoramic views of the Harz Mountains National Park before them. Eurostar The high speed Eurostar trains link St Pancras International in London with Paris and Lille in France as well as Brussels in Belgium. Eurostar's Standard Class coaches feature two seats on either side of the central aisle, most of which is arranged in an 'airline' seating configuration with drop down tray tables. There are two tables for four per carriage. Passengers travelling in Eurostar Standard Class coaches can take advantage of the Bar-Buffet which sells a range of snacks, meals, hot and cold drinks - including Champagne! The highest class of Eurostar travel available for leisure customers is Standard Premier Class. In your dedicated Standard Premier carriage

5 you'll find a less dense seat configuration, meaning the seats are larger and you have ample space to relax and stretch out. As part of the service you'll enjoy complimentary drinks and refreshments, served at your seat by friendly, helpful waiting staff. For the class of travel used on your chosen tour, please refer to the 'What's Included' section of the tour page. Eurostar More than fifteen years ago, Eurostar changed the way that people travel to Paris and Brussels forever. The rail service, which directly links the UK to France and Belgium via the Channel Tunnel, started operating in Eurostar launched services from its new London station, St. Pancras International, and from Ebbsfleet International in Kent in November 2007 with the completion of the second section of the UK's first high-speed line. Following the move, Eurostar's fastest journey times have fallen with London-Paris taking 2 hours 15 minutes, London-Brussels 1 hour 51 minutes and London-Lille just 1 hour 20 minutes. Travelling at up to 186mph (299km/h), Eurostar speeds through the Kent countryside before diving into the 31.4 mile (50.5km) long Channel Tunnel in Kent and emerging in Coquelles in northern France. From here the train travels to Lille before heading on to Paris or Brussels. From the heart of London to the heart of these great European cities, Eurostar services allow travellers to avoid long queues, lengthy transfers and the hassles of air travel while arriving at our destination more quickly than ever. Hotels Alte Bauernschänke, Assmannshausen Our hotel in Assmannshausen is the family owned 3-star superior Alte Bauernschänke, which celebrated its 600th anniversary in Originally a wine tavern dating from the 15th century, this half-timbered hotel stands in the centre of the village. The Berg family has owned the Bauernschänke for three generations. Their other passion is the excellent red wine, which they produce in the family's local vineyards. Hotel facilities include two restaurants and two bars. The rooms are individually decorated and feature a television, telephone and safe. The Alte Bauernschänke won Great Rail Journeys' Silver Award in the category of Best German Hotel in Typical meal arrangements when dining at the hotel: Breakfast: buffet-style continental breakfast with hot items Dinner: three-course dinner with choices, a buffet-style dinner on one night Maritim Hotel, Cologne The Maritim Hotel in Cologne is located on the banks of the mighty River Rhine in the historic Old Town. The hotel has three restaurants, a comprehensive shopping arcade, indoor swimming pool, solarium, gym, sauna and coffee shop. Room amenities include minibar, safe, hairdryer, air conditioning and television. In 2012 the Maritim Hotel Cologne won the GRJ Gold Award for Food in the Germany region. Wyndham Cologne Hotel, Cologne

6 The modern 4-star Wyndham Cologne (formerly the Best Western Grand City Hotel) is located immediately opposite Cologne's railway station and a short walk from the impressive Gothic Cathedral. The hotel houses a bar and restaurant. Rooms feature minibar, television, tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryer and air conditioning. Typical meal arrangements when dining at the hotel: Breakfast: buffet-style breakfast with some hot items Dinner: buffet-style dinner HKK Hotel Wernigerode, Wernigerode In Wernigerode we stay at the 4-star HKK Hotel Wernigerode, located close to the railway station and within walking distance of the quaint Old Town and marketplace. From here the narrow-gauge railway network, Harzer Schmalspurbahnen is just a short walk away. The hotel's facilities include a restaurant, bistro, three bars, sauna, steam room, whirlpool and fitness equipment. The modern rooms feature a telephone, television, radio and a hairdryer. The HKK Hotel Wernigerode is very popular with Great Rail Journeys' customers and won awards for Food in 2010 and 2012, and our Gold Award for its outstanding customer service in 2011, as well as a Bronze Award for overall best hotel in Germany in Typical meal arrangements when dining at the hotel: Breakfast: buffet-style continental breakfast with hot items Dinner: buffet-style dinner What's included What's Included First & Standard Class rail and coach travel as described (Standard Premier Class on Eurostar journeys including a light meal and drinks) Standard Class rail for part of the journey between Wernigerode and Assmannshausen 9 nights' hotel accommodation with breakfast each day 7 dinners Scenic rail excursion on the Brocken Railway Scenic rail excursion on the Selketal Railway Rhine Gorge cruise to Boppard or St Goar Excursion to Heidelberg including a guided tour All transfers Porterage is included on this tour: Day 1 - Cologne - porterage provided from the station to the hotel Day 2 - Cologne - porterage provided from the hotel to the station Day 2 - Wernigerode - porterage from the HKK Wernigerode lobby to room Day 6 - Wernigerode - porterage from room to the lobby of the HKK Wernigerode Day 6 - Assmannshausen - porterage from the Alte Bauernschanke lobby to room Day 10 - Assmannshausen - porterage from room to the Alte Bauernschanke lobby Services of a professional Tour Manager throughout Single room prices include the supplement for single occupancy throughout: 80 (May 6), 55 (other departures) Not Included Upgrades Cancellation, medical and travel insurance: from We offer a selection of upgrades and 'add-ons' designed to help you make the most of your holiday - and make it even easier! Extending your European holiday in Cologne Many of our holidays include a final stopover in Cologne en route to London. Why not extend your holiday by enjoying an extra night or

7 two in this attractive city, returning to London in your own time? The Wyndham Cologne or TRYP by Wyndham Cologne City Centre, Cologne Both hotels are well appointed 4-star hotels with a bar, lounge and restaurant. Room facilities include en suite bathroom, tea and coffee making facilities (available on request), minibar with free soft drinks, cable TV, hairdryer and telephone. A laundry service is available at both hotels.

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