22 days
Duration
Destination
PDF of Tour
Contempporary Germany including Oberammergau

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Contemporary Germany Tour

Contemporary Germany  is a specialised small group tour exploring Germany, long-regarded as one of the planet's most convivial nations. This small group tour of up to 16  mature and senior travellers is seeking to learn and explore as they tour, often to places off the beaten track and away from the traditional tourist areas. The tour is for couples and solo travellers.  The spirit of hospitality is palpable from port-city Hamburg in the country's north, all the way down to Munich: heart of Bavaria.

Itinerary for the Contemporary Germany

Our tour of contemporary Germany begins in Heidelberg, a university town famous for its narrow, cobblestone streets flanked with intricate Baroque architecture. After exploring Heidelberg and its surrounds, we venture south to the romantic Black Forest, long associated with the dark fairytales of the Brothers Grimm. Our base is Titisee, from where we will visit the stunning cathedral and city gates of Freiburg. We will also visit nearby Feldburg, where a cable-car ride will provide us views across Feldsee Lake. From Titisee, we travel to the village of Oberammergau. But along the way, we pause to visit - by a horse-drawn carriage ride - the hill-top Neuschwanstein Castle, nestled in the Bavarian Alps, we continue on to Munich, the capital of Bavaria.

Munich is renowned for its annual Oktoberfest, but the spirit of celebration is not confined to a single month in Bavaria's jovial capital. We learn about the cultural heritage of this memorable city over two days, including a city tour with a local guide, and a visit to the Deutsches Museum, the world's largest museum of science and technology. After Munich we head to Nuremberg, pausing on the way to take a walking tour of Regensburg, recognised as a UNESCO world heritage site for its historic Gothic buildings. In Nuremberg, we learn about Germany's history, including a visit to the haunting Nazi Rally Site. As we travel from Nuremberg to Wagner's hometown of Bayreuth, we pause in Bamburg and Coburg for sight-seeing. We finally reach Erfurt: a city of flowers, horticulture, and history. This is also our base for a visit to Weimar: birthplace of the cultural movement Weimar Classicism, and an awe-inspiring list of intellectuals.

Dresden is our next destination. It is beloved for its intricate old town and impressive museums and architecture. Dresden will be followed by cosmopolitan Berlin. In Berlin we take a guided tour of all the main sights: the tree-lined Unter den Linden boulevard, leading to the iconic Brandenburg Gate; Checkpoint Charline on the Berlin Wall; and the Reichstag building, which famously burned in 1933, allowing Hitler's first moves towards dictatorial power. From Berlin we make a morning trip to the royal castles of nearby Potsdam, the Cecilenhof Palace and the rococo Sanssouci. You will also have plenty of spare time to experience modern Berlin's cutting-edge artistic culture.

After three nights in Germany's vibrant capital, we journey west to Schierke, where we will board a train set for Brocken: the peak of the Harz mountain range. After spending time at the summit, we reboard the train for Wernigerode. This charming town is distinguished by its half-timbered houses, and the legend of witches who occupy the nearby mountains.

After Wernigerode, we continue west for our final stop in Konigswinter. For the last three nights of the tour, this will be our base upon the Rhine. We take a city tour of Bonn and explore a cathedral in Cologne, and take a cruise along the iconic Rhine River. Afterward, our tour draws to a close.

Articles about Germany published by Odyssey Traveller

The following list of articles published by odyssey Traveller for mature aged and senior travellers to maximise their knowledge and enjoyment of Berlin and Germany when visiting;

External articles to assist you on your visit to Germany

Odyssey has more information on Germany that you can research. For more details on this tour, click the ‘Top 5’ or ‘Itinerary’ buttons above! If you’re keen to experience this tour, please call or send an email. Or, to book, simply fill in the form on the right hand side of this page.

Tour Notes

Itineraries may change if flight schedules, site availability, and other inclusions have to be amended prior to departure.

FAQs

According to the European Commission:

You must lodge the application for a Schengen visa at the Consulate of the country that you intend to visit, or – if you intend to visit more than one Schengen State, the Consulate of the country where you will spend the longest period.

If you intend to visit several Schengen States and the stays will be of equal length, you must apply at the Consulate of the country whose external borders you will cross first when entering the Schengen area.

Click here to see the list of required documents, though note that it is still advisable to check with the consulate or your tour operator as visa rules frequently change.

Whether or not you need a visa to enter Germany will depend on your citizenship. Germany is part of the Schengen area, and citizens of countries listed here do not need to obtain a visa for tourism or business prior to entering Germany and the other member countries of the Schengen area.

Please note however that the EU has recently announced a system for its border entry process to the Schengen Zone. The system is called European Travel Information and Authorisation System or ETIAS. Currently, citizens of 61 nations, including Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, are permitted to enter the EU without a visa for up to 90 days of business or travel. The proposed changes will require that these citizens apply for entry authorisation before arrival to the Schengen zone. Click through to our article on ETIAS to learn more.

Germany’s currency is the Euro, which the country adopted in 1999. Its former monetary unit is the “mark”–the Deutsche Mark for West Germany (and unified Germany) and the East German Mark for East Germany. The term can be traced back to the Middle Ages as a unit of weight stamped on a lump of silver or gold. The gold mark was adopted as a unit of currency by the German empire and its territories.

German is the recognised official language, with more than 95% of the population speaking it as their first language.

The official minority languages are Danish, Frisian, Sorbian, and Romani, while Low German, Danish, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, and Romani are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

German is also the official language in Austria, and one of three official languages in Switzerland. Germany is quite uniform as a written language, but exists in many dialects (linguists say over 200) as a spoken language. Modern “standard German” has roots in the Middle High German dialects, particularly the Middle German dialect used by Martin Luther in translating the Bible in the 16th century.

Temperatures in September are a little cooler than the highs of July and August, but the weather will still be warm and sunny, making it a perfect time to visit – without the summer crowds. Make sure to bring a light jacket, as temperatures can dip at night.

 


PDF of Tour

Ettal, Germany, Oberammergau, Bavaria,
Linderhof Castle, Oberammergau, Germany, Bavaria, Ettal
Cologne, Germany
Germany
Essen, Germany
Colorful houses in Cologne
Contemporary-German-Munich-_Full
Freiburg, Germany
Cologne, Germany
Goethe Museum, Dusseldorf, Germany
Brandenburg gate Berlin
Berlin walking tour, Germany
Germany walking tour
Potsdam, Berlin
Checkpoint Charlie sign