Escorted Tour
Dresden - the ‘Florence on the Elbe’
with an Elbe river cruise
6 days from
£1,199 per person
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VIP door-to-door travel service
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Tour Manager
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Included Excursions
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Selected meals included
This beautiful city is located along the banks of the Elbe River on the edge of the Elbsandstone and Erzgebirge Mountains. Since 1206, Dresden has been known as a centre of fine arts and is often referred to as the ‘Florence on the Elbe’. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this city is packed full of great attractions and stunning Baroque architecture, like the famous Frauenkirche and the Semper Opera House or glamorous buildings like the Royal Palace and the Zwinger Palace, dating back to the wealthy Wettiner dynasty and Saxon King, August the Strong. Dresden also stands out on a cultural level. With over 700 years of history, the Dresdner Kreuzchor, a boys’ choir, has kept the medieval tradition of choral liturgy alive at the Kreuzkirche.
Including...
- 5 nights in hotel (accommodation as specified or similar)
- 12 meals: 5 breakfasts (days 2-6) 2 lunches (days 3 and 5) 5 dinners (days 1-5)
Included excursions and visits: 7
- Christmas concert
- Tour of Dresden by local guide
- Excursion to the Frauenkirche
- Eastern Ore Mountains visit with craft demonstration
- Weisseritz Valley Railway journey
- River cruise on the Elbe with lunch on board
- Excursion to the Meissen Porcelain Factory
Plus all these benefits:
- Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service
- Free connecting flights to London
- Check-in service by Titan staff
- Services of an experienced Titan tour manager
- Scheduled British Airways direct flights
- Best available coaches with experienced drivers
- Hotel porterage (one bag per person)
- Airport taxes, security charges and fuel surcharges
- UK Air Passenger Duty (APD)
Day 1 London - Berlin - Dresden
Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for the journey to London Heathrow Airport for your direct, scheduled British Airways flight to Berlin. On arrival we transfer to our hotel, the Westin Bellevue (4T) in Dresden, where we are greeted with a welcome drink before dinner. Evening meals are usually taken in a function room throughout your stay.
Day 2 Christmas Eve - Dresden
This morning, you are free to explore one of Germany’s oldest Christmas markets, the Strietzelmarkt. Its name comes from the so-called ‘Strietzel’ cake, which lives on today in the form of the traditional Dresdner Christstollen. Centuries of custom are brought back to life each year at the Strietzelmarkt; and visitors can still find arts and crafts that have been lovingly made in the tradition of bygone eras such as delightful wood carvings from the nearby Erzgebirge Mountains, ceramic wares and blue-printed textiles from Lusatia. Many other markets have joined the Strietzelmarkt to form the ‘Christmas Mile’, stretching from one side of the River Elbe to the other. We finish today’s Christmas experience with a Christmas concert. This evening dinner will be at our hotel.
Day 3 Christmas Day - Dresden
After breakfast we will join a local guide on an included walking tour of this historic city. Despite the damage it suffered during World War II, Dresden has rebuilt itself to its former glory and attracts many visitors from all around the world with its true Baroque atmosphere and its historic landmarks. The most perfect example of Germany’s late Baroque architecture is the Zwinger Palace. We return to our hotel for our Christmas Day lunch before a visit to the famous Frauenkirche with its magnificent Baroque interior. An audio-guided tour and a film reveal the thousand year story of the church, including the incredible reconstruction project after the devastating raids of World War II.
Day 4 Boxing Day - Eastern Ore Mountains
Today we take an excursion to the Eastern Ore Mountains, providing an unforgettable insight into the region’s traditional craftsmanship. We visit a local workshop for a craft demonstration revealing the patience and skills needed to produce such wonderful wood art. You’ll also enjoy free time to browse the shop’s beautiful Christmas products including table decorations, flowers, ceramic and glass works. Later, we take a stream train through the stunning narrow Weisseritz Valley. This journey on one of Saxony’s oldest railways takes you through a beautiful wild landscape of mountains, valleys and dams.
Day 5 Elbe Cruise - Meissen
This morning we explore Dresden and the Elbe Valley from a captain’s point of view by joining a sightseeing river cruise. Starting our round trip from Dresden, we sail upstream to Loschwitz, a district of elegant villas, passing city landmarks and three romantic palaces - Albrechtsberg Palace, Eckberg Palace and the Lingner Palace. After lunch on board we continue by coach to the historical cradle of Saxony, Meissen. Albrechtsburg Castle, built in a late Gothic style between 1471 and 1524, is referred to as the first castle construction in the German-speaking area. We then visit Meissen’s most popular tourist attraction, the Porcelain Factory, where we discover the making of porcelain wares, known all around the world as masterpieces in ‘white gold’. We return to our hotel for our last included evening meal.
Day 6 Dresden - Berlin - London
We transfer to Berlin Airport for our direct, scheduled British Airways flight to London Heathrow Airport. On arrival you will be met and guided to your Titan vehicle, for the journey home.
with an Elbe river cruise
6 days from
