Rhineland Gardens & Floriade 2012 

We depart St Pancras International by Eurostar to Brussels. We continue to Cologne, and transfer by coach to Königswinter, where we stay for the next five nights at the Hotel Maritim, next to the Rhine. On Day 2 we enjoy a return journey on Germany's oldest cog railway, the Drachenfelsbahn, which opened in 1883 and leads from the bottom station up steep inclines to the Drachenfels (Dragon Rock). (Day 1-D; Day 2-B)

This morning we visit the ornate Augustusburg Palace, a fabulous mansion with UNESCO World Heritage status. After time to explore the palace and its beautiful grounds, we continue to the private gardens of Anja Maubach - an accomplished architect and gardener. Here we are treated to a guided tour, followed by high tea in the gardens. (B,D)

Today is free to enjoy Königswinter, which boasts one of the best promenades on the Rhine. (B)

Today we travel by coach across the border into the Netherlands to enjoy a day at Floriade, the World Horticultural Expo. Floriade is a special event, which takes place every 10 years and will be held in 2012 in the Dutch town of Venlo. Floriade is a fantastic show of the world's most exceptional, exciting and exquisite flowers, plants and trees. Gardens and displays from all over the world feature at the world's biggest and most celebrated horticultural exhibition. We spend a full day at the show before we return by coach. (B,D)

We depart today travelling back to Cologne then retracing our steps back to Brussels where we join the Eurostar to St Pancras International. (B)

E=Eurostar Meal, B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
Where shown, these meals are included in the price of your holiday