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Day 1: Sat. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT TO
GERMANY.
Day 2: Sun. ARRIVAL INTO MUNICH, GERMANY.... We will
board our coach for a city tour this morning. Time will
be on your own for lunch at the famous Hofbraeuhaus and
exploring the city. Later this afternoon you will be
transferred to your Munich hotel. (B, D)
Day 3: Mon. This morning you will experience a guided
tour of the Weihenstephan Brewery, the oldest brewery in
the world. Explore Munich on your own for a few hours
until our departure for our hotel near LAKE AMMERSEE.
Enjoy dinner and the evening at the ANDECHS Monastery
restaurant, located on the Holy Mountain above the
eastern shore of the lake. St. Benedict himself ordained
that, "All strangers who come should be received as if
they were Christ Himself". In Andechs the Benedictine
tradition of hospitality can be enjoyed together with
the relaxed friendly atmosphere that has always been
typical of Bavaria. (B, D )
Day 4: Tue. Depart Ammersee for a visit to the
Pilgrimage Church of WIES, an oval rococo church located
in the foothills of the Alps. Travel to the village of
Hohenschwangau for a guided tour of nearby
NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE, a 19th-century Gothic palace
commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat.
The palace has appeared in several movies and was the
inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Travel to the Linderhof Palace, the smallest of the
three castles built by King Ludwig II....and the only
one completed. We will view this castle from the coach.
Drive through the beautiful town of OBERAMMERGAU, famous
for its production of the Passion Play and its
woodcarvers. Make the short trip to ETTAL and view the
Benedictine Monastery which we will view from the coach
before we leave this region for Berchtesgaden, located
in the extreme southeast part of Bavaria where we will
spend the night (B, D )
Day 5: Wed. This morning we will travel to the top of
MOUNT KELSTEIN,....a 6,017 ft. mountain in the Bavarian
Alps, which is the location of the EAGLE'S NEST.
Afterwards we will descend the mountain and visit the
village of Koenigssee where we will board a boat for a
tour of the KOEINIGSSEE, Germany's third deepest lake.
It stretches about 5 miles long and 1 mile at its widest
point, and is known for its clear waters. It is
surrounded by steeply rising mountains up to 8,900 ft.
whose walls create an echo which is known for its
clarity. On the boat tours, it is a tradition to stop
and play a trumpet to display the echo which can be
heard reflected up to seven times. The boat continues on
to St. BARTHOLOMAE, a famous pilgrimage church, before
the return to the Koenigssee harbor. Time on your own
for lunch and shopping.. Continue this afternoon to the
Bavarian town of ABENSBERG where we will tour
Kuchlbauer's Tower, art exhibit and display of items
from Bavarian breweries followed by a sampling of their
homemade beer and pretzels. Our hotel this evening is
near Abensberg. ( B, D )
Day 6: Thur. Morning drive to Kelheim, a short drive
away. There we will board a ship and travel the most
beautiful part of the Danube River in Germany, the
Danube Gorge with his high, white cliffs. We will stop
at the Weltenburg Monastery, the oldest monastery
brewery in the world, where we will enjoy lunch, their
famous beer, and a view of the Danube River before
returning to Kelheim.. Next we will travel to the town
of Titting where we will tour the Gutmann Brewery where
they make some of the best wheat beer in the world. Next
on our tour is the Wettelsheimer Keller near
Treuchtlingen, where we will enjoy their famous good
food, beer kept cool in a mountain cave....... and
beautiful view. After dinner, we continue on to
Dinkelsbuehl, a historic village on Germany's Romantic
Road with old medieval walls, towers, and half-timbered
houses and shops where we will overnight. (B, L, D )
Day 7: Fri. This morning we will travel to ROTHENBURG OB
DER TAUBER, which means "Red Fortress Above The Tauber".
This is so because the town is located on a plateau
overlooking the Tauber River. It is famous for being a
well-preserved old medieval town, a destination for
tourists around the world. This afternoon you will be
departing for NUREMBERG, which is Bavaria's second
largest city. A walking tour is on the agenda this
afternoon with free time for shopping and exploring the
city. (B, D )
Day 8: Sat. This morning we will be departing Nuremberg
for GUNZENHAUSEN. A short walking tour followed by a
motorcoach tour of the city.....There will be a welcome
ceremony upon arrival and you will be meeting your host
family with whom you will be staying with the next four
nights. The biggest festival of the year begins this
day, the Kirchweih, which is the celebration of the
anniversary of the founding of the church. This will be
their 611th Kirchweih festival. We have reserved seating
to hear the youth band play and enjoy the opening
ceremonies including the welcome of guests, after which
we will follow the parade to the Kirchweih festival
grounds for the tapping of the first keg by the mayor. (
B )
Day 9: Sun. This morning we will attend the Sister City
Anniversary Church Service with our host families. In
the afternoon we have reserved seating for the
traditional Shepherd's dance in the town square. This
evening we will be their honored guests at the banquet
celebrating the 50th anniversary of the
Frankenmuth-Gunzenhausen Sister City Partnership. (B, D
)
Day 10: Mon. This afternoon we have reserved seating
once again in the town square for the big Kirchweih
parade. The remainder of the day is free to spend with
your host family, exploring Gunzenhausen, or at the
Kirchweih festival grounds. ( B )
Day 11: Tue. This morning we will take a short trip to
the village of KALBENSTEINBERG. We will tour Wiesinger's
fruit distillery, where locals bring their fruits to be
distilled into liqueur or brandy. Next we will visit the
town of SPALT, famous for growing noble Spalter hops
used in beer making, where we will tour a hops farm. We
will enjoy lunch overlooking the largest lake in the
area, the Brombachsee before returning to Gunzenhausen.
( B, L )
Day 12: Wed. After a farewell ceremony we will board our
coach to the FRANKFURT AIRPORT and our flight back to
Michigan. ( B )
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