Germany: The Grand Tour

Arrive in the German capital, Berlin, and begin exploring.

Sightseeing with a local guide introduces the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, and Unter den Linden. Visit the Reichstag Dome.

This afternoon, opt to visit the Rococo palace of Sans Souci, where a local guide shows you the rich interior, Roman-style baths, and lush gardens of the palace where Frederick the Great was entertained by Voltaire and Bach, and where Truman, Churchill and Stalin met for the Potsdam Conference.

LEAP Activity | Ich bin ein Berliner

Step into the shoes of the people whose lives were impacted by the Berlin Wall. Participate in a group activity that involves reciting personal accounts of the event and discussing its repercussions. Live through their experiences and gain a personal insight into Germany’s history.

LEAP Activity | Guten Appetit!

Bring your appetite along with you and cook up a traditional German meal.

A local guide will lead you through the historic city of Dresden, an ancient Slavic settlement. Admire the magnificent Baroque and Rococo architecture of buildings that were carefully restored to their former glory. Explore the Frauenkirche, a sombre reminder of the destruction of the city in 1945, and the Dresden Schloss.

Take a stroll through Nuremberg en route to Munich.

LEAP Activity | Debate the Great

Meet six influential figures from Germany’s history. Join a debate and argue their accomplishments to decide who the greatest German is.

A local guide shows you the highlights of the city, including the Frauenkirche, the Glockenspiel, and the 1972 Olympic stadium.

Travel to Nymphenburg, with its 500 acres lined with trimmed hedges, boasting three pavilions and a miniature palace.

Visit the former concentration camp at Dachau.

Discover the links between traditional dance and Bavarian history. Listen and learn Bavarian music while participating in ancient folklore storytelling. You'll also learn (and demonstrate) a variety of traditional dance steps taught by local experts.

Christmas reigns all year round in Rothenburg, a jewel of a town on Germany’s picturesque Romantic Road. Beyond the year-round Christmas markets, the town boasts one of the most intact medieval city walls in Europe and a fairly unique clock. During the Thirty Years’ War, a former Rothenburg mayor was offered the chance to save the city by chugging close to a gallon of wine; he succeeded (and then slept for three days straight), and his accomplishment is reenacted seven times daily by mechanical figures on the clock in the Marktplatz -- adding a new twist to the concept of “cuckoo clock.” The enormous Gothic St. Jacob’s Church watches over the exploits from across the square..

Surrounded by mountains, forests, and the Neckar River, Heidelberg showcases a quintessential German landscape. Join your Tour Director as you drive through this granddaddy of all college towns, with its scores of bars, cafés, and shops. Get a beautiful view Germany’s oldest university —founded in 1386—from the Marktplatz, Heidelberg’s main square. Head up to Heidelberg Castle, which is still a little wobbly from its partial destruction during the Thirty Years’ War, a 17th-century attack by the French, and a major lightening hit in 1764. The castle’s courtyard is home to the largest wine barrel in world, the Great Vat, which holds about 50,000 gallons of wine (possibly another contributing factor to the castle’s romantically off-balance appearance).

Head up to Heidelberg Castle, which is still a little wobbly from its partial destruction during the Thirty Years’ War, a 17th-century attack by the French, and a major lightening hit in 1764. The castle is considered to be one of the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps, and the castle’s courtyard is home to the largest wine barrel in world!

Visit the town's historical Marktplatz, the Market Square.

Cruise along the most beautiful stretch of the Rhine River, surrounded by rocky cliffs topped with picturesquely crumbling castles and covered by the country’s most famous vineyards.

Discover Cologne’s long history with a local guide. See the Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece that took seven centuries to build, the spooky St. Ursula Kirche, which is decorated with human bones, and the city’s Roman ruins.

Wrap up your travels and board your return flight home.