Best of Southern Germany

(10 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Munich, Romantic Road, Stuttgart, Baden-Baden, Heidelberg, Frankfurt

This private luxury tour of Germany features the cultural highlights of Bavaria, charming villages, romantic castles, palaces, gardens, museums, and time to relax in Germany’s finest spa town.

Begin in Munich, the dynamic capital of Bavaria. During a flexible walking tour with your private guide, see highlights of the Old Town such as interesting squares, the Neues Rathaus (City Hall), historic Frauenkirche church, the Viktualienmarkt outdoor food market, and the Residenz, the former royal palace. During leisure time, perhaps stroll through the leafy English Garden, browse for locally produced Nymphenburg porcelain or traditional Bavarian crafts, visit outstanding museums such as the Deutsches Museum (science and technology) or the Alte Pinakothek (European art), or enjoy a beer, one of Munich’s most famous products, in one of the city’s many beer gardens or at a beer hall such as the renowned Hofbrauhaus.

One day, take a private excursion into the beautiful Bavarian countryside to visit Neuschwanstein, the fairytale castle built in the 19th century for King Ludwig II. The model for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle, Neuschwanstein is a romantic vision of towers and turrets that rises out of a rocky hilltop and offers panoramic views of surrounding mountains, lakes and farmland. Also visit nearby Hohenschwangau, the neo-Gothic castle where Ludwig spent his childhood, as well as the Wieskirche (Church in the Meadow), a UNESCO World Heritage Site with spectacular Rococo interiors.

Next, transfer along the Romantic Road to the well-preserved medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. En route, tour interesting towns according to your interests. Options include Augsburg, notable for its Renaissance-era town center; Ulm, the birthplace of Albert Einstein and home of the Ulm Munster, whose ornate Gothic steeple is the tallest in the world; and Dinkelsbuhl, a walled town filled with cobblestone streets, historic burgher houses and ancient towers. In the atmospheric streets of Rothenburg, one of the most charming towns in Germany, see highlights such as the city walls, gate towers and St. James’s Church. You might also like to see sites related to Rothenburg’s Jewish history.

One day, enjoy a private excursion farther along the Romantic Road. Pass through rolling farmland and villages, stopping to visit local attractions according to your interests. Among the many options are seeing the Wurzburg Residenz, a Baroque palace and gardens that’s a UNESCO site; visiting Nordlingen, a town encircled by medieval walls that lies in the crater of an ancient meteorite; seeing the Stuppach Madonna painting by Matthias Grunewald; and tasting wine at cellars in the Franconia Wine Region.

Another day, enjoy a private excursion to other interesting parts of Bavaria. Visit Nuremberg, a historically wealthy town and the center of the German Renaissance, and see highlights such as the Old Town, castle, city walls and the Albrecht Durer House, where one of Germany’s greatest artists once lived. If desired, also see sites associated with Nuremberg’s World War II legacy, such as the Documentation Center of the Nazi Party Rally Grounds and the Memorium Nuremberg Trials. Continue to nearby Bayreuth, famous for its Richard Wagner Festival, to see the Opera House, a Baroque treasure, and perhaps one of the palaces or gardens in the vicinity. Time permitting, also visit Bamberg, a well-preserved riverside town and UNESCO site that’s also renowned for brewing excellent beer, including an unusual smoked beer.

Next, transfer to Stuttgart stopping en route to see Schwabisch Hall, a former salt mining town, and its wealth of half-timber houses, Baroque buildings and covered bridges. In Stuttgart, enjoy flexible private touring based on your interests. Options include touring the Mercedes-Benz Museum or Porsche Museum, seeing landmarks of 20th-century architecture such as the Weissenhof Settlement, tasting wines produced in the surrounding foothills, browsing the Art Nouveau Market Hall, or seeing art in one of the city’s renowned museums.

Continue to Baden-Baden, an elegant spa town in the Black Forest, for two nights at a luxurious spa resort. During ample leisure time, relax at the spa, enjoy the extensive hotel grounds, and explore the many options in and around Baden-Baden, such as hiking, biking, seeing modern art at the Museum Frieder Burda and more. Artisans of Leisure can also arrange additional options such as wine tasting in nearby vineyards or a private excursion to Strasbourg, France.

Next, transfer to the cosmopolitan city of Frankfurt. En route, visit Heidelberg, one of Germany’s most beautiful cities and a favorite of the Romantic poets. Walk the narrow streets of the Old Town, see Germany’s oldest university, and explore the castle ruins that loom over the city and offer views of the Neckar Valley below. Continue to Frankfurt for your final night in Germany. Time permitting, visit local highlights such as the Kaiserdom, the landmark church in the center of the city, or the Goethehaus, where Germany’s greatest poet was born.