East Germany Pre-Cruise Extension
Day-by-Day Itinerary

We can arrange your flight from the U.S. to arrive early this morning or a day or two earlier for a night to recover from the rigors of travel.

September 8 FRANKFURT
Monday ERFURT
Welcome to Germany! We meet our coach at the city center and driver by 8:00 AM in Frankfurt this morning and drive to Erfurt (3 1/2 hrs). Martin Luther, the great Reformer, once declared that Erfurt is “in the ideal location, the perfect place for a city”. We will go on an interesting walk through the old quarter, past the Merchants’ Bridge, the town hall, and the university district. We’ll also see townhouses steeped in tradition, and also the cathedral and Church of St. Severus.

Erfurt has many connections with the music of the baroque period including Johann Sebastian Bach. After the sightseeing tour of the old quarter, you will enjoy a short organ recital in the Prediger Church.

Continue by climbing up to the Petersberg Citadel, the only extensively preserved baroque town fortress in central Europe. After this tour, a rustic snack of home made bread and red wine (or non-alcoholic drinks) will be served. Dinner is in the hotel restaurant.

(D) **** Hotel Radisson SAS

September 9 DRESDEN
Tuesday
Drive to Dresden, the Florence of the North, check in to the hotel and have lunch. In the afternoon, you’ll pass the most important sites through the historic district of Dresden. Take a deep breath and let yourself be captivated by exciting tales. In the historical centre we’ll see such sites as the Zwinger courtyard and pass by the Neustadt quarter.

Following, we’ll enjoy a bridge tour on the River Elbe aboard a historic paddle wheel steamer. We’ll go from Dresden’s terrace shore to Übigau and Pillnitz, and back. You will see castles and bridges, attractive villa areas, “Blaues Wunder” (the blue miracle) and the church “Maria am Wasser” (Maria at the water).

A memorable dinner tonight is at the brewery Waldschlösschen, which is a traditional restaurant built in 1790. It is considered a true jewel by architectural and art historians. From the restaurant terrace, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Elbe Valley and the world-famous skyline view of historical Dresden.

(B-L-D) **** Ringhotel Residenz

September 10 DRESDEN
Wednesday MEISSEN
MORITZBURG
After a hearty breakfast we’ll begin our journey to Meissen to visit to the porcelain manufacturing site of Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen. Here we can look back to old traditions through its 282 years of existence. The Exhibition Hall is home to over 20,000 items in all. We’ll then spend about a half hour in the adjoining Exhibition Hall and the Demonstration Workshops, in which four types of work are shown as they happen. Following we’ll take a tour of the historic town of Meissen. Enjoy culinary delicacies at the Café or Restaurant Meissen.

In the afternoon, make an excursion to the impressive Moritzburg Castle and Baroque Hunting Lodge is surrounded by stretches of water and enjoys the reputation of being one of the finest palaces of its kind in Europe. The hunting lodge and summer homes’ most famous resident was August the Strong who is said to have fathered 365 children! Today, visitors can take a guided tour and look at (what some consider) the world’s most significant collection of hunting trophies. We’ll take a brief stop back at our hotel in Dresden before beginning our evening journey to exciting and memorable Castle Eckberg, situated high above the River Elbe near the old town of Dresden. The castle combines the incomparable charm of an historical palace in beautiful park grounds with the comfort of a luxury restaurant. A champagne or cocktail reception will be the beginning of a beautiful evening. Later, you will experience a culinary highlight in the form of a 4-course menu. After the dinner we’ll transfer from the Castle Eckberg back to the hotel.

(B-L-D) **** Ringhotel Residenz

September 11 DRESDEN
Thursday BERLIN
POTSDAM
We hope you slept well! You are in for another special treat today! Following breakfast at our hotel, we’ll begin our day by venturing to nearby Potsdam. It was the royal seat of the Brandenburg-Prussian rulers, master builders and artists created a fascinating ensemble of palaces, parks and gardens in the space of only three centuries. So impressive, UNESCO designated this unique park landscape as a “world cultural heritage site”. In Sanssouci Park rises a monumental palace building commonly called the New Palace. In the interiors the visitor will be met with luxurious ceremonial halls, magnificent galleries and royally designed private suites. Cecileinhof was the last castle built by the House of Hohenzollern and was erected between 1914 and 1917. It attained world recognition as the site chosen for the negotiations of the victorious Allies in the summer of 1945. Truman, Churchill and Stalin negotiated the ‘Potsdam Agreement’ right here. After our tour we’ll visit the elegant Schloss Restaurant. Snacks and drinks in the country garden courtyard will also be offered. Now for the treat! Discover Berlin by boat. At night. Cruise along the canals of the city and count its more than 3000 bridges (more than Venice or Amsterdam!). Glide along its historic buildings on the many embankments and get an entirely different view of the city and its atmosphere. Relax and enjoy the impressive architecture of the capital. Even enjoy dinner while aboard!

(B-L-D) **** Hotel Park Inn

September 12 BERLIN
Friday
Our full day city tour starts on Berlin’s most prestigious boulevard. We head for Victory Column and Bellevue Palace, seat of Germany’s president. Just around the corner lies the landmark Brandenburg Gate, which marks either the beginning or end of Berlin’s oldest boulevard Unter den Linden. We visit Pergamon Museum. This amazing collection contains Greek and Roman works including architectural remains, sculptures and vases, inscriptions and mosaics as well as bronzes and jewelry. Its main attraction is the Pergamon Altar (2nd century BC). The frieze depicting the battle between the Gods and Giants is regarded as a masterpiece of Hellenistic art. Your entrance fee is valid for all museums in the Museumsinsel district. The history of the Berlin Wall is documented at the most famous border crossing point, Checkpoint Charlie Museum, which is our next stop. Films, original recordings, photos and texts are on display, along with some objects that tell the story of spectacular escapes. Our farewell evening begins in the late afternoon at the chambers of the Charlottenburg Palace. Following, you will enjoy an exclusive three-course meal at the Orangery. Dinner will be followed by an unforgettable evening of music including the most beautiful works created by the most famous native classical musicians.

(B-L-D) **** Hotel Park Inn

September 13 BERLIN
Saturday FRANKFURT
Enjoy breakfast early by 7:00 AM then depart from Berlin in order to arrive in Frankfurt at the Steingenberger Frankfurter Hof Hotel by 2:00 PM. If not continuing on extension tour ends at Hotel. For those continuing on to the cruise, we’ll join the others arriving today, here at the hotel.
(B)
B=Breakfast / L=Lunch / D=Dinner

Exclusive Moselle River Cruise
Day-by-Day Itinerary

Depart the U.S. September 12 or earlier for the overnight flight.

September 13 FRANKFURT
Saturday KOBLENZ
Welcome to Germany! We meet our Phi Mu group at the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof Hotel in Frankfurt at 2:00 PM and board our coach for the drive to the MS Charlemagne, which is moored in the city of Koblenz.

Koblenz is a triangular shaped city, two of its sides sit on the Rhine and the Moselle. The third side was formerly highly fortified by the many different civilizations as far back as 1000 BCE. In 55 BC, Roman troops (commanded by Julius Caesar) built the first bridge between Koblenz and Andernach. Remains of this bridge are still visible. In later years, two castles were also built to protect this bridge. Today only one stands.

A welcome aboard reception will give you the chance to get acquainted with new friends and welcome back past travelers. You’ll have time to settle into your cabin before dinner is served at 7:30 PM.

(D) MS Charlemagne

September 14 KOBLENZ
Sunday COCHEM-ZELL
A morning cruise on the Moselle brings us to Cochem, a famous riverside town is dominated by its medieval castle, originally built in the 11th century.

In 1688 King Louis XIV of France, during his invasion of the Rhine and the Moselle, swept in and captured Cochem Castle. His troops completely occupied the area, and in 1689 they destroyed Cochem castle by setting it afire, undermining it and blowing it apart. Not satisfied with just the castles destruction, the entire town of Cochem was almost destroyed but later rebuilt.

Later, during a wine tasting you will be able to familiarize yourself with the different wines of the region. We return to Charlemagne and continue our cruise to the small wine village of Zell, known for its wine Zeller Katz.

(B-L-D) MS Charlemagne

September 15 ZELL
Monday BERNKASTEL-KUES
TRIER
The Moselle winds and turns and takes a route along the terrain which is entirely cultivated with vines which extend as far as the eye can see, occasionally broken by small villages. We make a stop at Bernkastel-Kues for a visit to this small town and its half timbered houses. This is also the birthplace of the famous scholar Nicolas of Cusa. We continue our cruise to Trier (Trèves in French) where we will overnight.

(B-L-D) MS Charlemagne

September 16 TRIER (TRÈVES)
Tuesday KONZ MERZIG
METTLACH
After breakfast, a tour of the city of Trier. This city was the capital of the Occidental Roman Empire in the 3rd century and was named Rome of the North. Trèves can qualify, along with Worms as the oldest town in Germany. Its remarkable collection of Roman ruins have been classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We return to Charlemagne in time for lunch and continue our cruise. In Konz, we leave the Moselle valley for the Sarre valley, which cuts a clear path through the solid mountains of Hunsruck, causing the river to wind and twist which only embellishes the route and helps to conserve the authenticity. The passage of the loop of the Sarre is one of the highlights of the cruise. We arrive into Mettlach in the evening, the town is most famous as the headquarters of the ceramics company Villeroy & Boch.

(B-L-D) MS Charlemagne

September 17 METTLACH-KONZ
Wednesday REMICH
This morning, an excursion in our motor coach to Cloef for the impressive panoramic view of the loop of the river Sarre. We continue to Saarburg, a picturesque town dominated by its imposing ruined castle, classified as an historical monument. The streets of the town are narrow and the half timbered houses date from the middle ages, also there is a waterfall, over sixty feet high in the very center of the town, this gives a very charming aspect and is one reason the town is sometimes called Little Venice. We rejoin the Charlemagne in Konz and continue our cruise, we are back on the river Moselle and arrive into Remich. This charming small town is part of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and we will take an excursion there this afternoon. The capital is a thousand years old, fascinating, built on rock and called the Gibraltar of the North. The guided visit will explain the historical and financial aspects and its function as the headquarters of several European institutions. We return to Charlemagne in Remich.

(B-L-D) MS Charlemagne

September 18 REMICH-NENNING
Thursday METZ
This morning we will visit the Roman mosaics of Nenning. They were discovered in 1852 as part of an immense villa with this sumptuous mosaic wall measuring 16 x 10 meters, this is the largest, most beautiful and best preserved north of the Alps. We return to the boat and cruise as far as Metz. Welcome to France! The countryside changes radically and we leave the hills and vineyards behind us, replaced by the vast plains of the Lorraine. This afternoon, a visit to Metz, the city is Roman, medieval, classic, German and keeps its aspects from its three thousand years of history.

In ancient times Metz was known as Divodurum (the town at the holy mountain). It was the capital of the Celtic Mediomatrici, and the name of this tribe, abbreviated to Mettis, formed the origin of the present name. At the beginning of the Common Era, the site was already occupied by the Romans. Metz became one of the principal towns, thanks to its wine exports and having one of the largest amphitheaters of the country. As a well-fortified town at the junction of several military roads, it soon grew to great importance. It was one of the last Roman strongholds to surrender to the Germanic tribes and was eventually captured by Attila the Hun in 451.
The cathedral of Saint-Etienne is world renown for its stained glass which covers a surface of 21,313 square feet. We have the pleasure of admiring the masterpieces from the 13th century until recent times, including works by Marc Chagall. There will be free time in the city before we return to Charlemagne for our farewell Gala Dinner.

(B-L-D) MS Charlemagne

September 19 METZ
Friday FRANKFURT
After breakfast, the motor coach will drive you back to the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof Hotel in Frankfurt, arriving there by lunch time. The tour ends at the hotel. Or, we can arrange airport transfers.
(B)
B=Breakfast / L=Lunch / D=Dinner