2020 Itinerary
'Get your motor runnin'
TOUR PROGRAM
Day 1
Sunday 12 April 2020
Brisbane - Frankfurt
Depart Brisbane and travel overnight to Frankfurt.
Day 2
Monday 13 April 2020
Frankfurt - Rudesheim
Arrive Frankfurt early this morning and depart by train from Frankfurt Airport directly to Bingen for Rudesheim (@ 60mins) – rest of day at leisure.
Rudesheim, is a winemaking town, so if zesty Riesling is your tipple you're in for a real treat. Rudesheim is famous for its overly traditional feel. Set on the banks of the Rhine, this small town is packed full of half-timbered houses, vineyards and enthusiastic residents. Check in to the hotel on arrival then it's time to taste wines but don't get too excited, you still have dinner, so enjoy a traditional German meal by the Rhine River and maybe share some stories with the friendly locals.
Day 3
Tuesday 14 April 2020
Rudesheim - Koblenz - Rudesheim
Depart Rudesheim in the morning for a boat cruise on the Rhine to Koblenz, a 2000-year-old town that is surrounded by small mountains and vineyards and characterised by winding alleys and historic buildings. Koblenz is where the Mosel River meets the Rhine River and presents the perfect place to explore by foot. Take a quick orientation walk with your leader then enjoy a free afternoon getting to know this beautiful corner of the world. You'll catch the 6.53 pm train back to Rudesheim, arriving a touch before 8 pm, at which point you can call it an evening or polish your palate with some local wines.
Day 4
Wednesday 15 April 2020
Rudesheim - Heidelberg
Catch the morning train from Rudesheim to Heidelberg (90 mins).
After checking-in at our hotel and lunch, there is a walking tour of Heidelberg and the UNESCO-listed Heidelberg Castle complete with its 219,000L Great Wine Barrel. Rest of the day at leisure.
Day 5
Thursday 16 April 2020
Heidelberg
Today there are a number of options
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a short train ride to Sinsheim for the Auto & Technik Museum;
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or, in the same vicinity, the Thermal Baths & Spa; or
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a rest day and opportunity to explore Heidelberg and surrounds at leisure.
The Auto & Technik Museum is a privately owned museum dedicated to all things mechanical – more than 60 aircraft, military equipment, F1 cars, Germany’s largest collection of Bugatti's & supercharged Mercedes – if it has an engine, it is represented here (or at the nearby Speyer Technik Museum).
The Thermal Baths & Spa is often referred to as the best thermal baths and spa in Germany. Think of a tropical South Seas holiday (it reputedly has the most palm trees of anywhere in Europe) in middle Germany, wellness pools, sauna, massage & beauty treatments, fine dining – a destination in itself!
Day 6
Friday 17 April 2020
Stuttgart
Catch the morning train (40 mins) from Heidelberg to Stuttgart – the manufacturing hub of Germany, home of Germany’s car industry yet renown for its green spaces & great environment. Stuttgart is the city of car-making royalty, as the place where the first car and motorcycle were invented by Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler respectively. The headquarters for both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche are in Stuttgart and the stylish new museums for both brands are not to be missed. These are a couple of examples of Stuttgart’s head-turning architecture, joined by an Art Nouveau market hall, a house by Le Corbusier and a state-of-the-art new library.
This afternoon we will be visiting the Mercedes-Benz Museum - a curved metallic building with a double helix, is partly a journey back to the birth of the automobile. There are more than 160 vehicles and 1500 exhibits on display. There are a number of early dining options at the Mercedes-Benz Museum and bookings can be made for you.
Day 7
Saturday 18 April 2020
Stuttgart
This morning we head to the north of Stuttgart to explore the Porsche Museum which includes a Factory Tour. The museum, which opened in 2009, uncovers the early days of the brand, and recounts the many innovations of engineer and founder, Professor Ferdinand Porsche, the man who invented the VW Beetle and the first gasoline-electric hybrid. There are multi-sensual, interactive displays, like a new sound installation you can control and a “touch wall”. Timeless classics like 356, 911 and 917 are just some of an 80-strong fleet of vehicles at the museum. The afternoon is at leisure.
Centrally-located options include the Schlossplatz (Palace Square), Königstraße (King’s Street), Stiftkirche (a collegiate church dating from 900AD), Markthalle (the city’s central markets) and the Stadtbibliotek (Library).
Day 8
Sunday 19 April 2020
Freiberg im Breisgau
Today will be your longest train travel day, coming in at approximately two hours, albeit on a comfy, Inter-City Express train.
Situated deep within the Black Forest region, this tasty town is known for its sunny weather, beautiful surroundings and the strange gutters in its streets, which carry water diverted from the river for livestock and fighting fires. The city suffered heavy bombing during WWII but has bounced back and is now a beacon of sustainability, with a government heavily invested in environmental progress. Check in to your hotel on arrival then take an orientation walk around town with your leader. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon and evening at your leisure.
Day 9
Monday 20 April 2020
Freiberg im Breisgau
Transfer by private vehicle from Freiburg to the Black Forest proper, and indulge in traditional Black Forest ham, bread and Black Forest cake. This is fairytale country and the forest where Hansel and Gretel encountered the wicked witch, but rest assured there's no evil here, just stunning European scenery featuring mossy streams, green valleys and the cutest houses you can imagine. Once the group is done exploring you'll return to Freiburg for a free evening enjoying (hopefully) a warm night and buzzing university nightlife.
Day 10
Tuesday 21 April 2020
Freiberg - Friedrichshafen
We’re going to mix up the “planes, trains & automobiles” a bit today with a two hour FlexBus trip from Freiberg im Breisgau to Friedrichshafen. Friedrichshafen is on Lake Constance and shares borders with Austria & Switzerland. We will visit the Dornier Museum this afternoon - an aerospace museum which exhibits the aircraft designs of Claude Dornier, the Dornier company and aerospace products of Airbus. The afternoon is free.
Day 11
Wednesday 22 April 2020
Friedrichshafen
Friedrichshafen is known for its importance to aviation which the Zeppelin Museum fully explores. We will visit this museum this morning and the rest of the day is at your leisure. Options include a ferry trip on Lake Constance to Switzerland or Austria, a walk or bike ride along one of the most stunningly beautifully lake foreshores in Europe or to simply find a gelataria on the lake shore and watch the world go by.
Day 12
Thursday 23 April 2020
Friedrichshafen - Munich
We’re back on the FlexBus this morning for another two hours and arrive in Munich in time for lunch and a walk afterwards. The city may be best known for its yearly Oktoberfest, but there's so much else to see and do here apart from, you know, beer.
Visit some of the impressive museums such as the Royal Palace, the Bavarian National Museum or the Deutsches Museum which is the world's largest museum of science and technology, with about 28,000 exhibited objects from 50 fields of science and technology. Alternatively, you could wander through the Alte Pinakothek, one of the oldest galleries in the world. A truly Munich experience is to walk through the Englischer Garten and check out the surfers at the Eisbach, Munich's famous river wave.
Munich is one of the prettiest cities in Europe, so walking around the city is extremely rewarding and once you've finished, you've definitely earned one of those tasty beers we can't stop talking about Team it up with your group for a typical Bavarian dinner and beer. Think schnitzel, think bratwurst, think sauerkraut and think beer. Lots of delicious beer (and great wine).
Day 13
Friday 24 April 2020
Munich
This morning we head out to BMW Welt, BMW Museum and BMW Group Factory for a tour and exploring. The Factory Tour is 120 minutes and you could easily spend the same time in both BMW Welt (BMW World – the future of BMW) and BMW Museum. We will wind down this afternoon with a visit to the Paulaner Brewery in Munich (4.30pm).
Day 14
Saturday 25 April 2020
Munich - Singapore
We have a full day at leisure in Munich ahead of our 10.20pm departure. We will have a late check-out at the hotel. prior to our transfer to Munich International Airport.
Day 15
Sunday 26 April 2020
Singapore
We arrive in Singapore this afternoon and, as Singapore’s Changi Airport is a destination in itself, we have time to explore or freshen up before our evening flight to Brisbane.
Day 16
Monday 27 April 2020
Brisbane
Tour concludes today with our arrival into Brisbane and our transfers home.
Inclusions:
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International return economy airfares (ex Brisbane)*
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12 night hotel accommodation including breakfast
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A/C vehicle during transfers & tours
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Zeppelin flight over Lake Constance
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English speaking guide during tours
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Entrance fees of museums specified in the tour itinerary
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Domestic train &bus fares (Frankfurt/Bingen, Koblenz/Bingen, Bingen/Heidelberg, Heidelberg/Sinsheim, Heidelberg/Stuttgart, Stuttgart/Freiburg, Freiberg/Friedrichshafen, Friedrichshafen/Munich & Munich/Airport).
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Boat cruise (Rudesheim/Koblenz)
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Comprehensive Travel Insurance
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Drink bottle and daily refills
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Tips to guide & driver
* above airfares are subjected to change without prior notice. NB an allowance of $1800 has been made for SQ airfares, if the airfares are more expensive, any additional cost will be invoiced)
Exclusions:
* Personal expenses
* Soft drinks, tea and coffee during tours & meals
* Airport porterage
* Hotel porterage