Berlin, Dresden & the Magnificent Harz Mountains

Day 1 - UK - Berlin

Our nationwide shared chauffeur service collects you from home for your flight to Berlin, ready to begin your tour of northern Germany.

Day 2 - Berlin

A guided coach tour introduces us to the history of Berlin’s east this morning. We’ll visit the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, the East Side Gallery (an open-air art gallery on the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall), and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. We’ll finish our east Berlin tour at Alexanderplatz, where you’ll have a few hours to explore and have lunch (own expense) before we head back to the hotel.

Day 3 - Berlin

A full day to discover what west Berlin has to offer. A coach tour will take us past must-see sights including the Reichstag, the statue-topped Victory Column, and the Kurfürstendamm, the city’s premier shopping boulevard. Later on, we’ll pay a visit to the Berlin Wall Memorial, an open-air exhibition that offers a fascinating look at what life was like when the city was divided.

Day 4 - Potsdam - Dresden

Our route to Dresden takes us via Potsdam, a charming city once home to Prussian kings. A guided tour reveals its baroque squares and classical monuments, ending in the Dutch Quarter where you’ll have time at leisure to wander past gabled red-brick houses and perhaps pop into a cosy café or two. We continue on to Dresden, a wonderful city set on the banks of the Elbe River.

Day 5 - Dresden

Dresden is one of Germany’s cultural gems, home to an array of spectacular palaces, churches and castles. Our guide will lead us on a walking tour of Dresden’s historic heart this morning. We’ll see the beautiful Semper Opera House (painstakingly reconstructed after being destroyed during WWII); the Church of Our Lady, another meticulously reconstructed building which boasts a skyline-piercing steeple; Brühl’s Terrace, a photo-worthy riverside walkway above the Dresden Fortress; and Dresden Castle, former residence of the kings of Saxony. Following an afternoon at leisure, you might like to join an optional excursion to the Zwinger Palace, to take in a memorable performance by the Dresdner Residenz Konzerte (selected dates only).

Day 6 - Meissen - Moritzburg

We make our way to the nearby riverside town of Meissen today, where we’ll visit the famous Meissen Porcelain Manufactory. View heritage designs, tour the workshop and learn about the incredible craftmanship involved in producing this exceptional quality porcelain. Perhaps buy a piece to take home - a wonderful souvenir of your holiday to Germany. After an hour or so of free time to explore the town, we’ll head on to Mortizburg, pausing along the way to admire the sunshine-yellow Schloss Moritzburg, a baroque moated castle said to be one of the prettiest in Saxony. At Moritzburg, we’ll board a heritage steam train for a scenic half-hour journey along narrow-gauge tracks through woodland and countryside.

Day 7 - Colditz Castle - Wernigerode

Colditz Castle sits on a wooded hilltop above the Mulde River. Over the centuries, it’s been everything from a king’s residence to a workhouse and, most famously, a prisoner-of-war camp during WWII. Inside, you’ll uncover its fascinating past, from its royal roots to the daring escape attempts made during the war. This afternoon, we’ll continue on to Wernigerode, a delightful town on the edge of the Harz Mountains featuring colourful half-timbered houses and a fairytale-like castle.

Day 8 - Wernigerode - Harz Railway

A morning walking tour will show us Wernigerode’s characterful old town, with its medieval town hall, market square and crooked houses. Later, we’ll board another heritage steam train for a journey up to Brocken. Set on the summit of the Harz’s tallest mountain, it’s one of the highest stations in Germany. There’ll be plenty of time at the top to take in the incredible views of the surrounding national park landscape.

Day 9 - Quedlinburg

Another storybook town awaits us as we journey to UNESCO-listed Quedlinburg. This thousand-year-old town is a joy to explore, with its Renaissance castle, Art Nouveau villas and Romanesque buildings, as well as hundreds of half-timbered houses. After a guided walking tour, you’ll be free to explore the town under your own steam, perhaps stopping to visit the Klosterkirche Münzenberg or the Fachwerkmuseum im Ständerbau (a museum dedicated to the historic art of timber-framed construction).

Day 10 - Wernigerode - UK

Our Germany tour comes to an end today as we transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK. Upon arrival, your vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.