Germany, Switzerland & Austria

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.

There is no surprise here. The Romantic Road is exactly what it says it is -- a drive down the middle of Western Bavaria’s heartland and a path through the center of your own heart with its romantic picturesque scenery. Between Würzburg and Füssen, the route is strewn with quaint villages, colorful castles, farmhouses, elaborate churches and dense forest.

A grim glimpse into the past, Dachau was the first of Nazi Germany’s camps and a model for the 3,000 work and concentration camps to come. A chilling memorial to the 206,000 prisoners who were interned in the camp from 1933 to 1945, the museum examines pre-1930 anti-Semitism, the rise of the Nazi party, and the documented lives of prisoners.

Enjoy Bavarian- or Berlin-style sausage with traditional sides, made from veal and pork back bacon (Bavarian-style), or fried pork (Berlin style).

Join a professional licensed tour guide for a whirlwind look at Munich. Founded in the 12th century by Henry the Lion, Munich now roars with the hustle and bustle of modern German life. As you pass by Marienplatz (named after the square’s gilded Virgin Mary and Child statue), mechanical knights joust and coopers dance to the folk-music chimes of the Neues Rathaus’s Glockenspiel. The twin onion-bulb towers of the Frauenkirche Cathedral frame this whimsical display, while the scents, sounds and colors of the nearby food market attempt to draw your attention elsewhere. Resist temptation and continue on to Olympiapark, a new suburb built for the 1972 Olympic Games. Pass by several museums, such as the BMW Museum, Alte Pinakothek (home to Munich’s most precious art collections), and the Deutsches Museum of science and technology.

Discover the area of Munich around Marienplatz, which is dedicated to the patron of the city. See the Neues Rathaus and observe the Glockenspiel on its facade. This is the fourth largest chiming clock in Europe, and stages an elaborate performance twice a day.

Visiting the BMW Welt showroom is an immersive experience where you can explore the latest BMW models, learn about cutting-edge automotive technology, and enjoy the sleek, modern design of the venue.

See Olympia Park, the site of the 1972 Olympics. Buildings include the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Hall, and the Aquatic Center. Many cultural events are still held at Olympia Park.

Travel to the picturesque Bavarian village of Hohenschwangau which is located between two famous castles: Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Visit Hohenschwangau Castle, the childhood residence of King Ludwig II, and enjoy a hike up towards Neuschwanstein Castle for breathtaking views of the castle and the surrounding Bavarian Alps.

Learn about the castle’s history and its significance as the childhood home of King Ludwig II. The views from the castle are breathtaking, with the serene Lake Alpsee and the surrounding Bavarian Alps providing a picturesque backdrop.

Enjoy a scenic walk up the hill to Neuschwanstein Castle and over to Queen Mary's Bridge (known locally as Marienbrücke) for unbeatable views of King Ludwig II's fairytale castle and the surrounding Bavarian Alps.

Alpine views are around every corner and ski slopes are just a funicular ride from the center of historic Innsbruck. A medieval old town is home to imperial palaces, world-class galleries, and Zaha Hadid's avant-garde designs. Sophisticated, good-looking, and affluent, the Tyrolean capital walks a fine tightrope between the urban and the outdoors, as well as the historic and cutting edge, and pulls it off beautifully.

Explore Innsbruck’s Old Town (Altstadt), where clusters of rustic white-stuccoed homes trimmed in brown blend into the Alpine backdrop. At the heart of the cobbled streets stands the glittering Golden Roof, its 2,657 copper shingles gleaming above the balcony where Emperor Maximilian I and his love Bianca once vowed to stay together forever.

Before a backdrop of snow-capped Alpine mountains and green, cow-filled pastures, join your Tour Director on a trip to Lucerne’s famous sights. Weave your way through a maze of narrow, winding streets until you reach the River Reuss and the Medieval Kapellbrücke Bridge. Stop to marvel at the bridge walls, decorated with murals that recreate the 14th-century originals destroyed in a fire. Journey down the cobblestone streets in the Old Town to see the Löwendenkmal (Lion Monument), the somber sandstone wild cat gazing down into a reflecting pool, and ponder this artfully chiseled statue created to honor the Swiss Guards who died defending the Tuileries in 1792.

One of the city's famous landmarks is Chapel Bridge, or Kapellbrücke, a wooden bridge first built in the 14th century. It has also been voted as the 5th most popular tourism destination in the world.

View the Lion Monument, or Löwendenkmal, created in 1820 in honor of the Swiss Guards who lost their lives in 1792 during the French Revolution.

View the impressive Jesuitenkirche which was the first large baroque church built in Switzerland. The ostentatious baroque style architecture is meant to represent the power and glory of the Catholic tradition.

Stroll through the picturesque medieval Weinmarkt Square and the Kornmarkt Square in the historical heart of Lucerne.

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.

Towering over the train station, the Kolner Dom took seven centuries (300 years worth of interruptions) to finish, only to be scarred by 14 bombings during World War II. Catch your breath after a climb up the 509 stairs to the South Tower for a great view of the Rhine. Nine bells are housed in the Glockenstube, and in one corner, weighing in at 24 tons, is the Petriglocke, the world’s heaviest working bell.

Visit Kölner Dom, the most famous Gothic structure in Germany. In addition to its grandiose size; the cathedral also features the Shrine of the Three Kings, a huge Romanesque reliquary said to hold relics of the Three Kings, and the Altar of the Magi, the work of Stephan Lochner. Take the opportunity to Ascend to the Viewing Platform for wonderful views of Cologne.

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.