Harz Mountains & Rhine Gorge

Eurostar and First Class rail to Germany

Our journey to Germany begins at our dedicated Departure Office in St Pancras, where we board the Eurostar to Brussels. Sit back in your comfortable Standard Premier Class seat and enjoy a light meal and drinks before our arrival in the Belgian capital. Our journey continues by high-speed rail in First Class to Cologne for an overnight stay.

The Harz Mountains

Today we continue across Germany by high-speed rail, travelling in First Class to Hanover. Here, we meet our coach which takes us on a journey through the brooding Harz Mountains. The low-lying mountains surround a rivercarved landscape, where rushing streams wind through the rich green forests, and rugged rocky outcrops rise up towards the towering mountain peaks above.

We stop in the foothills of the mountains to visit the scenic town of Goslar, a UNESCO World Heritage destination where intricate carvings adorn the front of picturesque timbered houses. Leaving Goslar, we continue to Wernigerode, a similarly attractive town which sits nicely within the dark green scenery of the picturesque Harz region.

Wernigerode was formerly the capital of the medieval County of Wernigerode, following the Napoleonic Wars it became part of Saxony. We spend four nights at the HKK Hotel Wernigerode.

Brocken Railway

This morning we begin a full-day excursion on the narrow forests and crystal-clear lakes of the Harz Mountain region creating a terrain ideally suited to narrow-gauge railways. The terrific Brocken Railway connects the small towns and villages of the Harz region. Today's journey takes us through the vast pine forests in the foothills of the mountains, steam from the train evaporating into the tree tops. We climb steep inclines, the mighty engine straining to tackle the gradient, as we make our way to Brocken, the highest mountain in the Harz region at over 3,700 feet (1,128 metres). After some free time for lunch and to enjoy the views, we return by train to Wernigerode.

Quedlinburg and the Selketal Railway

Today we travel by coach to beautiful Quedlinburg, a gorgeous town with a delightful, peaceful Romanesque church and incredibly well preserved red-roofed houses that give the town the feel of a model village, as if it were created from children's toy bricks. Burgberg - 'castle mountain' - is a 10th century stronghold that looms imposingly over the town. Quedlinburg's rambling, haphazard street plan leads you through charming streets lined with more than 1,600 timber-framed buildings. On one street, Wordgasse, there is a building reputed to be the oldest timber-framed house in Germany. In Quedlinburg we join the narrow-gauge Selketal Railway for a journey through the glorious, verdant countryside of the Selke Valley.

At leisure in Wernigerode

Explore Wernigerode at leisure. With elaborate halftimbered buildings, simply strolling through the steep narrow streets of the town provides a feast for the eyes, not to mention the impressive Wernigerode Castle and the charming medieval Town Hall.

Wernigerode to Assmannshausen

Bidding farewell to the peaceful Harz mountains, take a short coach transfer to Hildesheim where we join the train to Assmannshausen via Frankfurt (Standard Class), a romantic German village situated in the picturesque Rhine Gorge. We spend four nights at the Hotel Alte Bauernschänke, situated in the centre of this typical Rhineland village. Assmannshausen is well-known for its red wine, Spätburgender, with a distinctive rich burgundy colour.

Romantic Rhine Gorge

Today we take the short walk to the riverside to join a boat for the journey along the River Rhine through the prettiest and most celebrated section of the Rhine Gorge. Ancient castles peer from the top of the green banks, as we pass the imposing Lorelei Rock, a legendary rocky outcrop that soars 150 metres above the water line. We arrive in the riverside resort of Boppard, one of the region's great wine producers. We enjoy some free time here and a chance to sample some of the fantastic local wines and enjoy a stroll along Boppard's delightful riverside promenade. There is a good choice of restaurants here for lunch. Perhaps you'd like to take Boppard's spectacular chairlift from the valley station in Mühltal to Gedeonseck. From the top you can visit the Gedeon's Corner restaurant which showcases stunning panoramic views over the largest bend in the Rhine. The chairlift rises some 240 metres and takes 20 minutes to reach the summit, the views you experience over the Rhine Gorge are spectacular and well worth the height. We then rejoin the cruise back upstream to Assmannshausen.

A day at leisure in Assmannshausen

Today is free for you to explore Assmannshausen at your leisure.

Excursion to Heidelberg

A coach excursion takes us to one of Germany's best loved cities, charming and historic Heidelberg. The town lies below its protective castle on the River Neckar and is home to the oldest university in Germany, founded in 1385. The backdrop to Sigmund Romberg's operetta, 'The Student Prince', Heidelberg was the capital of the Palatinate region for many centuries. We enjoy a guided tour and some leisure time before returning to our hotel. Perhaps you'd like to discover Heidelberg's enchanting Altstadt or Old Town. Characterised by attractive squares where you can sit outside and people watch and a collection of different architecture, the Old Town is a joy to discover. Alternatively you could visit Heidelberg Castle, sitting imposingly over the city the castle is an important landmark which dates back as far as 1214. Extraordinarily a lightning bolt destroyed the upper castle in 1537 and it has since been rebuilt.

Assmannshausen to London

We travel by coach through the Rhine Valley to Cologne. Here, we board the high speed train to Brussels, then connecting with the Eurostar service to St Pancras International.