Sunday, May 7
Depart USA for Munich, Germany
Monday, May 8
After a mid-morning arrival into Munich, we will enjoy a combined bus/walking tour of the Bavarian capital with a local guide. Visit includes Olympic park, Nymphenburg Palace (outside), the historic Glockenspiel on The Marienplatz (Mary’s Plaza), the revered twin-towered Frauenkirche (Our Lady’s Church) and more iconic sights of Munich. Overnight Munich (D)
Tuesday, May 9
Today we will enjoy Salzburg, Austria, the town of Mozart and music! Stroll with a local guide through the historical city center, Mozart’s birthplace, and see the many pretty town houses and mansions and the beautiful Mirabell Gardens as featured in The Sound of Music. This evening, we will be taken back to Mozart’s era by having a candle lit dinner based on historical recipes and listening to a concert with musicians in authentic costumes playing the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Overnight Salzburg (B)(D)
Wednesday May 10
After breakfast we travel to Nuremberg, home of the Documentation Center Nazi Rally Grounds. We will tour the exhibition in the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds which gives a comprehensive picture of the National Socialist dictatorship as well as the history of the Party Rallies. Later we continue to Rothenberg, one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities surrounded by town walls and complete with timber framed houses. After dinner, we will take a walk with the Night Watchman of Rothenberg to learn the fascinating story of this medieval town. Overnight Rothenberg (B)(D)
Thursday May 11
Today we will cross into France and visit Strasbourg, one of the most unique cities in France with an unusual mix of French and German history, architecture, and cuisine. Our tour will include the Cathedral of Strasbourg (with its amazing Astronomical Clock) and a guided tour through the historic La Petite France Quarter. After lunch, we will have free time before we board our Croisi Europe river cruise boat, MS Gerard Schmitter, for the next 4 nights as we cruise the middle Rhine Valley of the Rhine River, one of Europe’s most loved river. Overnight cruise ship (B)(D)
Friday, May 12
Today is spent cruising up the most beautiful section of the romantic Rhine towards Koblenz, Germany. We will sail past the towns of Kaub, Oberwesel, and Saint-Goar. Upon arrival in Koblenz, we will enjoy a cable car ride over the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers and see the sprawling gardens of Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. Overnight cruise ship (B)(L)(D)
Saturday, May 13
We will continue cruising through the Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more than 40 castles and fortresses from the middle ages. After lunch, we will visit the town of Rüdesheim, famous for its beautiful Riesling vineyards and the lively Drosselgasse, a quaint cobblestone alley with lively restaurants and shops. We will also visit Siegfried’s Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments, an impressive collection of 350 mechanical musical instruments dating back to the 18th century. Overnight cruise ship (B)(L)(D)
Sunday, May 14
After a leisurely morning cruising the Rhine River, we will stop at Mannheim and travel to Heidelberg Castle, the most popular castle ruin in Germany. This castle is nestled 300 feet above the city of Heidelberg and is a combination of several buildings surrounding an inner courtyard, put together with a haphazard look. Each building highlights a different period of German architecture. We will return to the ship late afternoon for the Captain’s gala dinner. Overnight cruise ship (B)(L)(D)
Monday, May 15
After breakfast, we will board the motor coach and drive through the beautiful landscapes and dreamy villages of the Black Forest of Germany. One of our stops will be the German Clock Museum where we will see an exhibition of the world famous cuckoo clocks. We also will stop at local eateries to taste the fresh smoke sausage, Kaffeetrinken, and home-made Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte cherry cake. Overnight Titisee (B)(D)
Tuesday, May 16
We continue our drive through the Black Forest and cross the border into Switzerland. We will meet a local guide in Zurich and enjoy a walking tour of the historic city center to see the beautiful cathedrals, the statue of Swiss Reformer Huldrych Zwingli and the many winding streets in the old town. After lunch, we continue with a combined bus and walking tour of Lucerne, famous for its covered wooden bridges. We also will visit the Dying Lion of Lucerne Monument which was carved out of natural rock in memory of the heroic deaths of the Swiss mercenaries and described by Mark Twain as “the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world”. Overnight Lucerne (B)(D)
Wednesday, May 17
Today is a real Alps adventure which begins with a picturesque boat cruise on Lake Lucerne to Alpnachstadt, the world’s steepest cogwheel railway that leads to the summit of Mt. Pilatus. Once atop the mountain peak (6,982 ft.), we will see breathtaking panoramas and views of the Alpine mountain range of central Switzerland. There will be time for walks or to enjoy a break in one of the restaurants. Tonight’s dinner will be on your own to enjoy the many local restaurants and pubs in Lucerne. Overnight Lucerne (B)
Thursday, May 18
The highlight of today will be a visit to the Neuschwanstein Castle, the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella Castle. Few places on Earth look more like storybook illustrations than Neuschwanstein Castle. With its towers, turrets, frescoes, and throne hall, Neuschwanstein looks like it was plucked straight from your favorite fairy tale. The end of our journey will be celebrated with a farewell dinner in a Bavarian-style Beer garden restaurant. Overnight Freising (B)(D)
Friday, May 19
Depart from Munich to USA
