Royal Dynasties Small Group Tour An 9-Day Tour to Bavaria and Munich, Austria and Vienna 2018 Tour Dates: 13-21 October
Day 1 Welcome to Bavaria Sat, Oct 13th Munich City Tour Bavarian Welcome Dinner You are met at the airport after your flight and taken your hotel in downtown Munich. Tonight you'll enjoy an orientation drive of Munich followed by a welcome dinner at one of the many amazing Munich Breweries for some great food and fresh brewed Bavarian beer. Included: hotel, all transportation, entrance fees, Welcome Dinner Day 2 Munich and the Wittelsbachs Sun, Oct 14th The Munich Residenz and Treasury Nymphenburg Palace and the Carriage Museum Schleissheim, Munich s Secret Palace We follow the Wittelsbach family to the height of their power. They ruled Bavaria from 1180 till 1918 true dynasty. We visit all three Munich-area palaces today. At the Residenz, their main home, we visit the resplendent treasury; at the Wittelsbach s popular summer residence, Schloss Nymphenburg, we tour the apartments and carriage museum; and finally we visit the almost unknown Schleissheim Palace, built to be the new home of a would-be emperor.
Day 3 The Fairy Tale Castles of King Ludwig II Mon, Oct 15th Neuschwanstein, the Perfect Knight s Castle Linderhof, the Small Mountain Palace The Pretty Village of Oberammergau Today we head south to the mountains and the famous Neuschwanstein Castle, built by the fairy tale King Ludwig II. This fabled castle that so inspired Walt Disney continues to awe visitors from around the globe. After lunch we continue on to remote Linderhof Palace and it amazing gardens. Ludwig spent most his time here and it was the only building he ever finished. You will learn a lot about the life and times of this eccentric king. Day 4 The Bavarian Versailles Tue, Oct 16th Sumptuous Herrenchiemsee Palace The Arts & Crafts Island Village of Frauenchiemsee Mozart Dinner Concert in Salzburg First up today we visit King Ludwig s third idiosyncratic building, the luxurious Herrenchiemsee Palace. Ludwig built this palace, his homage to the sun king, Louis XIV of France, on a large but remote island on Bavaria s largest lake. So we have a lovely boat ride to get there and back. But we also visit the neighboring but much smaller island of Frauenchiemsee, which is actually a village full of pretty gardens and craft shops. Then it is on to Salzburg, where a lovely Mozart concert dinner awaits us in Europe s oldest restaurant, which opened in 803., Mozart Dinner Concert
Day 5 Salzburg, Once Bavaria, Now Austria Wed, Oct 17th Salzburg Old Town, a UNESCO site Salzburg Fortress, Never Conquered. Free Time to Explore Salzburg on Your Own We wake up in the wonderful city of Salzburg, where we get to spend all day strolling through the lovely inner city. We will see the birth house of the famous wonder child Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and some of the wonderful churches. Ample time for shopping and photos. After lunch we will visit the impressive Salzburg Fortress, never conquered and home of the powerful archbishops of Salzburg. Dinner on your own tonight. Day 6 Salzkammergut and the Wachau Thu, Oct 18th Salzkammergut Lake District and Bad Ischl Melk Abbey and its Famous Library Boat Ride through the Wachau Valley On our way to Vienna our first stop is in Bad Ischl, where the Habsburg Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph fell in love with his cousin, the 16 year old Wittelsbach Princess Elisabeth. We continue on to Melk Abbey, one of the world's most famous monastic sites. It dates back to 1089, when Leopold II, Margrave of Austria, gave one of his castles to Benedictine monks. From Melk you will board a river cruise boat for a lovely ride through the Wachau valley to the Danube wine regions. We have a short visit to Dürnstein with its castle ruins and the famous blue church.
Day 7 Imperial Vienna and Schönbrunn Fri, Oct 19th Schönbrunn Palace and its Expansive Gardens Imperial Vienna along the Ringstrasse Strauss Dinner Concert In the morning we visit Schönbrunn Palace, Austria s answer to Louis XIV's Versailles. We'll tour the opulent palace and have time to explore some of the 470 acres of gardens, including the hilltop Gloriette. Back in the city we stroll and explore Vienna by foot. We'll see imperial Vienna along the Ringstrasse: the opera, parliament building, Hofburg palace, the museums, city hall, the Burgtheater and the university. Of course we have time to visit one of the Viennese Café try the famous Sacher torte. This evening we have a dinner concert with the music of the famous Austrian composer Johann Strauss, the King of the Walz., Strauss Dinner Concert Day 8 The Hofburg and Vienna for You Sat, Oct 20th The Hofburg Imperial Palace Free Afternoon in Vienna The morning is reserved for the imperial city palace, the Hofburg. We have lots of time to explore the famous treasury and see the private apartments of Sissi. The afternoon is at your leisure. The to-do list is endless: maybe ride the giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater park; visit the Belvedere Palace, nor an art museum dedicated to Gustav Klimt; visit the Opera; relax in one of the beautiful parks, spend time in a typical Kaffehaus, or get your final shopping done.
Day 9 Farewells Sun, Oct 21st Safe Transport to the Airport Time to say Aufwiedersehen till next time! Included: buffet breakfast, transfer to the airport Photo credits Please see website for details Kevin Creley Fotolia wikimedia.commons Old World Tours Germany Office Erich-Ollenhauer-Strasse 24 85221 Dachau +49-89-159 79 445