Experience Germany & Oberammergau

Depart the U.S.A. Sleep overnight on the plane as we begin touring as soon as we land.

Arrive in Munich and begin your tour with a panoramic view of Munich on the way to Nymphenburg Palace, birthplace of King Ludwig II. Be amazed at the Stone Hall in the Central Pavillion with the ceiling frescoe of Helios in his chariot accompanied by other gods. Discover priceless artifacts in the museums housed in this famous palace. After our group lunch we’ll stop at the pilgrimage church of Wies – Wieskirche, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We finish our day at the hotel in the Fuessen area where we stay the next 2 nights. Dinner will be served at the hotel. (L, D)

Breakfast will be served at the hotel each day. We’ll begin our tour with the Hohenschwangau Castle, the childhood residence of King Ludwig ll. Enjoy some free time in between tours to explore and shop. We’ll enjoy lunch together at a local restaurant. Next visit Neuschwanstein Castle, which King Ludwig II built on a rugged hill against a backdrop of picturesque mountain scenery. The castle was prompted by the idea of rebuilding an existing ruin “in the authentic style of the old German knights’ castles” as he wrote in a letter to Richard Wagner. We’ll have dinner at a local restaurant. (B, L, D)

This morning we visit Linderhof Palace, the smallest of the three palaces built by King Ludwig II, and the only palace he lived to see completed. The “Royal Villa” and its surrounding park is one of the most artistic and stylistically complex ensembles of the 19th century. We then head to the beautiful alpine village of Oberammergau. We have free time for lunch and shopping. We walk to the Passion Play venue in the early afternoon. Dinner will be served during a break and then after the play we walk back to our hotel. (B, D)

This morning we’re off on a guided tour across the lake to Herrenchiemsee Castle. Modeled on Versailles, this palace was built as a “temple of fame” for King Louis XIV of France, whom the Bavarian monarch fervently admired. Enjoy a group lunch and the rest of the afternoon with free time at the castle for shopping and exploring on our own. We continue on to our bed and breakfast Pension in Ruhpolding, our home for the rest of the tour, and have dinner at a local restaurant. (B, L, D)

We’ll begin our beautiful Sunday morning with a sunrise service and then breakfast. Our first stop is the Obersalzberg Documentation Center which covers the history of Obersalzberg and the Third Reich with many photographs and fascinating documents from the Nazi era. We’ll also have access to the bunker system.After descending the mountain, we’ll enjoy lunch and travel towards Berchtesgaden, a region of spectacular natural beauty, majestic mountains, crystal clear lakes and the unspoiled nature reserve of the Alpine National Park. End the day with a visit to Koenigsee and enjoy a boat ride. Dinner will be served at a local restaurant. (B, L, D)

Today Hellbrunn Palace awaits. Schloss Hellbrunn was the summer playhouse of Markus Sittikus, the archbishop of Salzburg, built in 1619. The palace was only for the daytime; there are no bedrooms in the home. It was simply an opulent and delightful place to wile away the hot summer days for the powerful archbishop and his friends. Enjoy some free time after our group lunch for souvenir shopping. Our tour continues as we’re led by a local guide who will take us on a walking tour of Salzburg, Mozart’s home town. It was here at the age of 10 that Mozart made his debut as a symphonist. We’ll continue our tour by visiting Mirabell Gardens and follow the footsteps of Maria and the Von Trapp Family. Be amazed at this beautiful well-kept UNESCO listed old town. Our tour will end with a Mozart Dinner Concert —the highlight of our day! (B, L, D)

Our sober day begins with a visit to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp. It was established in April 1938, shortly after Austria was annexed to Nazi Germany. Starting as a satellite of Dachau, in Germany, it became an independent camp in the spring of 1939 which was operated by the SS (the Nazi paramilitary corps). It later acquired satellite camps of its own throughout Austria, all collectively called Mauthausen. We’ll have lunch and continue to the Oberndorf bei Salzburg – Silent Night Memorial and learn the history of this world-famous song. (B, L, D)

This morning we’ll travel to the city of Hallstatt and visit the oldest salt mine in the world, Europe’s oldest wooden staircase and the free-floating Skywalk with its “World Heritage View” 360 meters above the ground. We’ll also experience the history of Bronze Age mining recounted today in spectacular fashion thanks to state-of-the-art multimedia technology, including a Bronze Age Cinema 400 meters below ground. After lunch we’ll continue on to see the beautiful Salzkammergut Lake District visiting the villages of Mondsee and St. Wolfgang. Dinner will be served at a local restaurant. (B, L, D)

Today we leave Ruhpolding and head to Munich for our return flights home. (B)