Castles, Rivers & Alps - OLD Itinerary

Day 1  Depart Australia   

Day 2  Arrive in Frankfurt
Guten tag, welcome to Germany! On our arrival we will be met by our friendly guide and transferred to our hotel. In the afternoon we enjoy an orientation tour of Frankfurt, the financial capital of Germany. 

Day 3  Rhine District
Today we explore the picturesque Rhine District, one of the most romantic regions in Germany. Our tour includes a cruise along the Rhine to the historic town of Ruedesheim before we return to Frankfurt. [B]

Day 4  Heidelberg
Today we visit the beautiful city of Heidelberg which is set on the River Neckar and surrounded by hills and the imposing Heidelberg Castle. The castle has been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries and the castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps. [B]

Day 5  Frankfurt - Munich   
We drive south to the Bavarian capital Munich where our sightseeing includes the Marienplatz, the Church of Our Lady, Ludwigstrasse and the Koenigsplatz. [B]

Day 6  Munich
This morning we visit the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial which stands in memory to those who suffered here during WWII. The afternoon is at leisure. [B]

Day 7  Munich
Today we visit the delightful holiday region of Chiemsee. We travel by boat across Lake Chiemsee to the wonderfully ornate Herrenchiemsee Castle. The castle was built in 1878, and stands on Herrenchiemsee Island in the centre of Bavaria’s largest lake. It is set in French stylized gardens with imposing marble fountains and long winding pathways which lead down to the shores of Lake Chiemsee. We then visit picturesque Frauenchiemsee Monastery. [B]

Day 8  Munich - Passau
This morning we drive to the riverside town of Passau where we have some free time to explore the town before we board our cruise ship, the MS Sofia. [B,D]

Day 9  Cruising - Vienna   
We arrive in the Austrian capital Vienna this morning, where our city tour includes a drive along the Ringstrasse - seeing famous landmarks such as the National Opera - before travelling to the heart of the city to Stephensdom. The rest of the day is free to explore the city before our evening departure. [B,L,D]

Day 10  Cruising - Budapest
This morning we stop in Esztergom, Hungary’s oldest town and the birthplace of St Stephen. We continue on to Budapest, one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, where our tour includes the historic castle district. [B,L,D]

Day 11  Cruising - Bratislava
After a scenic morning cruise we arrive in the Slovakian capital Bratislava mid-afternoon. Here we take in the sights of the old town on foot. [B,L,D]

Day 12  Cruising - Wachau
We cruise back into Austria and visit historic Duernstein, a picturesque gem in the heart of the beautiful Wachau Valley. On top of the mountain you may see the ruins of an old castle - Richard the Lionheart was held in prison in this castle after one of the crusades. [B,L,D]

Day 13  Passau - Bavaria
This morning we disembark in Passau and drive on to the Bavarian region. We continue to the spectacular Neuschwanstein Castle, the most famous and arguably the most beautiful castle in the world. This castle was Walt Disney’s inspiration for Cinderella’s castle in Disneyland. [B]

Day 14  Bavaria - Lucerne
A scenic day as we drive through the spectacular alpine region of Bodensee into Switzerland. We visit the picturesque town of Appenzell before our arrival in Lucerne. [B]

Day 15  Lucerne
Make sure your cameras are charged as we travel by cable car and the world’s steepest cogwheel train up to the famous panoramic lookout of Pilatus Kulm. [B]

Day 16  Lucerne - Interlaken
We drive on to Interlaken which is spectacularly situated between two lakes at the base of three of Switzerland’s most famous peaks - the Eiger, Moench and Jungfrau. [B]

Day 17  Jungfraujoch
An unforgettable day as we travel up the Jungfraujoch to Europe’s highest railway station. Here, on top of the world, at a height of 3,454m, we find an icy wonderland of dramatic peaks. [B]

Day 18  Interlaken - Lugano
This morning we continue on to Lugano, in the heart of the Italian Lake District. This region is famed for its stunning lakes surrounded by beautiful green mountains. [B]

Day 19  Lugano
Our morning is at leisure before we set off to explore the city and enjoy a cruise on Lake Lugano in the afternoon. [B]

Day 20  Lugano - Como
We cross the border and travel on to Lake Como in the heart of Italy’s Lake District. Lake Como has an area of 146 km², making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At more than 400 m deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe. The bottom of the lake is more than 200 metres below sea level. [B]

Day 21  Depart Milan
This morning we transfer to Milan Airport to start our journey home. [B]

Day 22  In transit

Day 23  Arrive in Australia

Castles, Rivers & Alps - OLD

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