Highlights of Germany (6040)

12 Day Tour from Frankfurt to Frankfurt

2020 Tour Details View 2021 Tour Details »

Spectacular scenery, medieval towns, fairy-tale castles, a fascinating history, and world-class beer…this is Germany!
On this Germany tour, you'll see Germany's highlights and visit its most famous cities, as well as its medieval towns and scenic areas. Your vacation begins and ends in Frankfurt with overnights also in the Rhineland, Hamburg, Berlin, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Munich, and the Stuttgart area.

Magnificent scenery awaits you on this value-minded Germany vacation. Enjoy a cruise on the Rhine River, passing castle-crested hills, terraced vineyards, and pretty wine towns. In Bavaria, visit King Ludwig II's 19th-century Neuschwanstein Castle, nestled high in the Alps. Drive along the Romantic Road with its charming villages, cobblestone streets, walled cities, half-timbered houses, and scenic countryside, and stop in Rothenburg, a walled town that has retained its medieval character.

Among the tour highlights are: the famous gothic cathedral in Cologne—known for its twin-steepled towers—that was started in 1248 and completed in 1880; Lübeck, a Hanseatic city and UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in the 12th century and Veste Coburg Castle, built in 1225 and one of Germany’s largest castle complexes. Today, the complex houses the former art collections of the dukes of Coburg.

You’ll also enjoy sightseeing of the must-see sights in the cities, including Munich’s Marienplatz, the main square in the city that hosts the Oktoberfest beer festival. In Dresden, see the Zwinger Carillon Pavilion, where the 40 bells of the glockenspiel sound every quarter of an hour.

From the beautiful scenery and exciting cities to the historic sights and fun experiences, this Germany tour has it all!

Headsets throughout the tour.

Dates & Prices Book Online

800.646.5374

Photo Highlights

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on this vacation:

Cologne Cathedral
Hanseatic city of Lübeck
Speicherstadt and Kontorhous District of Hamburg

Meals

Meals & Itinerary

Buffet breakfasts daily; 5 dinners

Notes:

September 11, 13, 18, 20 & 25 Departures – Oktoberfest
November 27 & December 4 Departure – include visits to Cologne, Lübeck, Dresden, Nuremberg, Rothenburg, and Munich Christmas markets.

Itinerary

Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable.

Day 1 ARRIVE IN FRANKFURT, GERMANY

Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers.

Dinner

Day 2 FRANKFURT–RHINE CRUISE–COLOGNE–RHINELAND

Today’s highlight is an included RHINE CRUISE to enjoy scenic views of the Rhineland, including the famous Lorelei rock. The next highlight is Cologne with free time to visit its impressive gothic CATHEDRAL, started in 1248 and completed in 1880.
Today’s Distance: 193 mi/ 310 km

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 3 RHINELAND–HAMELIN–HAMBURG

Journey into Niedersachsen to visit Hamelin. Admire its town center with the colorful historical buildings and magically fancy gables echoing the story of the Pied Piper. Continue to Hamburg.
Today’s Distance: 304 mi/ 490 km

Breakfast

Day 4 HAMBURG–LÜBECK–BERLIN

Start the day with an orientation drive in Hamburg, one of Germany’s greatest maritime cities. Later, depart for Lübeck, formerly a free Hanseatic city and independent state. Lübeck, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is considered the cultural capital of northern Germany. Thomas Mann, Günther Grass, and Willy Brandt—all Nobel laureates—were among the famous residents of this city. Later, arrive in Berlin and enjoy your first evening in the capital of Germany.
Today’s Distance: 249 mi/ 400 km

Breakfast

Day 5 BERLIN

No longer divided but every bit as fascinating, Berlin was once the city of contrasts with the wall separating two different worlds. Now, the city has developed into a harmonious blend of new and old, preserving its historical buildings and impressive boulevards as well as creating brand new buildings in the most daring architectural styles. See all of this on the included city sightseeing with a Local Guide. Consider an optional excursion this afternoon.

Breakfast

Day 6 BERLIN–DRESDEN–LEIPZIG

Travel southwest to Dresden, the old capital of Saxony and at one time rightly called the “Florence on the Elbe.” See the ZWINGER CARILLON PAVILION and much more on your included sightseeing. Then it’s on to Leipzig, where composers Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn lived the last years of their lives. It was Mendelssohn who founded the Leipziger Conservatory in 1843.
Today’s Distance: 224 mi/ 360 km

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 7 LEIPZIG–WEIMAR–COBURG–NUREMBERG

Leave Leipzig to visit Weimar, home to many intellectuals of the past but mainly known for the name given to the historical period of the “Weimar Republic.” This city is also famed as the home of the Bauhaus architectural movement in the 1920s. Next stop is Coburg. Visit the dominating and mighty VESTE COBURG CASTLE, built in 1225. Continue to Nuremberg for a visit to its town center, dominated by the imperial castle.
Today’s Distance: 249 mi/ 400 km

Breakfast

Day 8 NUREMBERG–ROTHENBURG–MUNICH

On the way to Munich, stop to visit the quaint medieval village of Rothenburg on the Romantic Road. Marvel at its towered gates and battlements, squared of half-timbered houses and decorated fountains.
Today’s Distance: 217 mi/ 350 km

Breakfast

Day 9 MUNICH

With a Local Guide, take advantage of the included sightseeing tour of the city known as Germany’s “Secret Capital.” Time to admire the beautiful main square, MARIENPLATZ, do some shopping, and sample Munich’s famous beer!

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 10 MUNICH–NEUSCHWANSTEIN–STUTTGART AREA

Leave Munich and drive into the heart of the Bavarian Alps to visit the most famous 19th-century, neo-romantic castle of the world, King Ludwig II’s fairytale NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE. Overnight in a lovely village outside Stuttgart.
Today’s Distance: 280 mi/ 450 km

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 11 STUTTGART AREA–HEIDELBERG–FRANKFURT AREA

The day starts with a scenic drive for a taste of the Black Forest landscapes and villages, followed by visit to Heidelberg—location of Germany’s oldest university and inspiration for the German Romantic movement. From here, continue to Frankfurt.
Today’s Distance: 124 mi/ 200 km

Breakfast

Day 12 FRANKFURT AREA

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

Breakfast

Transportation:

Touring by private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi; Rhine cruise

Tour Director

With COSMOS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

VJENCESLAV ZATKOVIC ( WENTZ )

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“I decided to become a Tour Director in order to see the world-and lose weight. Unfortunately, the latter is impossible in Slovenia and Croatia, because the food is incredible. Still, it was worth a try! Since those early years I've discovered that the reality of travel is better than I ever imagined. Every day is different, and there is always something new to see and learn.”

Tour Director - VJENCESLAV ZATKOVIC ( WENTZ )

Accommodations

Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)

Hamburg

Berlin

Munich

Hamburg

Hamburg Evening Harbor Cruise

Join an exciting evening cruise around Hamburg's impressive Hafen (harbor) for a unique perspective of Hamburg, Germany's second-largest city and Europe's second-largest port.

Price Range: $

Berlin

Food and Fun at Ziko's Grill

Enjoy a night of delectable food and lively atmosphere during this memorable dinner experience in the heart of Berlin.

Price Range: $$

WWII Berlin and the Cold War

From the Wannsee Conference House and Allied Museum to a nuclear bomb shelter built to protect more than 3,000 people, this interactive tour will enhance your visit to Berlin in a truly memorable way!

Price Range: $

Munich

Dinner at a Bavarian Beer Hall

Get a firsthand look at Munich's rich beer heritage as you visit an authentic Bavarian beer hall for a typical 3-course dinner with Bavarian beer!

Price Range: $$

Dachau Concentration Camp

Come face to face with the horrors of Dachau, Germany's first concentration camp and the model for the brutality of the Third Reich, during this moving guided visit of the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site.

Price Range: $

* The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include International airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Cosmos).