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Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria

Highlights of Germany self-drive

13 days from $4,250pp

Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria
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Tour highlights

  • Explore medieval towns and cities with half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets.

  • Discover the Romanesque style Neuschwanstein Castle built in keeping with King Ludwig II’s whimsical tastes.

  • Follow the Romantic Road through tiny Bavarian villages.

  • Uncover the significance of Berlin, Munich, Nuremberg and Rothenburg’s place in World War II history.

  • Enjoy an evening of Opera followed by a revealing behind the scenes tour of Munich's National Theatre.

Price includes:

  • Fully insured vehicle rental
  • All accommodations
  • 24-hour support while you travel
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Itinerary idea in detail

Ask us if you would also like us to arrange your international flights at our preferred rates.

  • On arrival at Berlin Brandenburg Airport, you’ll be met by your driver and transferred to your hotel in central Berlin. Depending on your arrival time, you may wish to explore the city. Due to its division by the Berlin Wall, Berlin is one of the most diverse cities in Germany with seemingly endless attractions and memorials, not to mention its top museums and aptly named Museum Island.

  • Spend today exploring Berlin at your own pace. The city’s complex history, edgy street art scene, and Neoclassical monuments make it a varied modern capital and sprawling metropolis that shows a plethora of identities through its many districts. We’ll provide plenty of suggestions to ensure you make the most of your time in the city.

  • You’ll pick up your fully insured car hire this morning as you embark on a full-day excursion around Potsdam, Sanssouci and Cecilienhof Palaces. On the outskirts of Potsdam’s cobblestone streets is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sanssouci Palace, or ‘the Versailles of Germany’. After, you’ll travel to the English Tudor manor house styled Cecilienhof where the Allied powers met after World War II to discuss the occupation of Germany.

  • Leave Berlin and drive southwards to Nuremberg in the state of Bavaria. The journey is just over five hours, however, both Leipzig and Dresden are about halfway should you choose to stop en route. Arriving in Nuremberg you’re free to explore the medieval city at your leisure. There are plenty of sights to visit in this historical town, including the hilltop Kaiserburg Castle, the pastel-painted Weissgerbergasse, and the jostling main square’s Hauptmarkt.

  • This morning you will meet your private guide to discover the labyrinthine corridors and vaults that lie beneath Nuremberg’s medieval old town. The carved red sandstone tunnels and spaces were used primarily for the ripening and storage of beer and, during World War II, provided vital shelter for its residents. After the tour you’ll visit a brewery and whisky distillery with a tasting of local specialities.

  • Leave Nuremberg and drive to Rothenburg, where half-timbered houses, pastel-painted stone buildings and a fortified ring wall envelop the city. Today it boasts a thousand years of intact history among its cobblestones, appearing largely as it did during the Middle Ages. After exploring Rothenburg’s authentic avenues, you’ll join the notable Romantic Road and drive southwards to Munich, winding through medieval villages, wooded forests and tiny Bavarian towns flanked by looming mountains.

  • Today you’ll discover how Munich became a World War II stronghold with a private walking tour of the city often called ‘the capital of the movement’. While many of the World War II-era buildings were destroyed by bombing or Allied forces, some important places remain. You’ll visit museums based in what was once the headquarters of the National Socialist Party and see the beer hall where Hitler scripted his plans.

  • Today is yours to explore Munich and the surrounding area at your own pace. You could sip Bavarian beer in the Englischer Garten or explore the culinary delights of Viktualienmarkt. Take a tour of the BMW Museum, venture to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest or the nearby Austrian city of Salzburg. Spend this evening in Munich’s National Theatre for an evening with the State Opera and Orchestra, followed by a revealing and privately guided behind-the-scenes tour.

  • You’ll leave Munich today and follow the Romantic Road to Neuschwanstein Castle. Here, you’ll catch a glimpse into King Ludwig II’s whimsical tastes through the spiked turrets, the Romanesque castle’s design, and its homage-filled interior inspired by composer Richard Wagner, whom Ludwig greatly admired. You’ll continue your journey to Freiburg, partly following the scenic German Alpine Road, snaking along the Austrian and Switzerland borders through the German Alps, past glimmering lakes and lush green pastures.

  • Today you’ll meet with your private guide and venture to the farmers’ market in the cobblestone square surrounding the Münster. You’ll learn of the market’s history and the architecture of the buildings on the square while sampling your way through the market’s myriad spices, sausage and locally made crafts. After the market you’ll head to a local cafe to sit and enjoy the city’s special atmosphere, followed by an afternoon at leisure.

  • This morning you’ll depart Freiburg and drive to Heidelberg, which sits nestled in a thickly forested area and has long drawn visitors to its romantic cityscape. It was once the heart of the German Romanticism movement, which is still today seen through its uniformly red-roofed buildings, the gentle arches of the old stone bridge, and the imposing castle. You’ll then continue your journey to Frankfurt, which is a further hour or so drive northwards.

  • Today, you have a full day at leisure to explore Frankfurt. The city offers a plethora of museums, a neo-classical opera house and a multitude of universities, making it a cultural hub. Peruse the stalls at Kleinmarkthalle, or perhaps explore Römerberg’s medieval square, visit the birthplace of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, or see where Kings of the Holy Roman Empire were crowned at Frankfurt Cathedral.

  • You may have some time to spend in Frankfurt this morning, perhaps browsing the city’s shops for any last-minute souvenirs. You’ll then drive to Frankfurt Airport where you return your hire car and board your onward flight.

Accommodation options

While the itinerary price reflects the suggested accommodations, Audley trips are 100% tailor-made, and a specialist can help you select the option best suited to your tastes and budget.

Audley Travel Country Specialist Taylor
Contact a Germany specialist

The specialist who designs your trip to Germany will have explored the country many times and, in some cases, lived there. Their first-hand knowledge gives us the belief that no other travel company can match our expertise in helping you plan your trip.

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When to go

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Place Daily max temperature (°F) Monthly rainfall (mm)
Berlin
 
Nuremberg
 
Rothenburg
 
Munich
 
Neuschwanstein
 
Freiburg
 
Heidelberg
 
Frankfurt
 

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