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Best Germany Travel Offer Yet!
By James Derheim | January 18, 2010
Germany, Switzerland & the Alsace 2010
Led by James Derheim
Jim has an idea, and he will be publishing both a book and a web site directing people to the best “Cozy Hotels” in Europe. You can be a part of the research process, and have fun and adventures, too! Jim’s hunt for the ultimate “Cozy Hotels” of Germany, Switzerland and the Alsace for an upcoming book and web project! Come along on this exploration of towns and hamlets both known and not for this once in a lifetime opportunity to help create awareness of Germany’s best-kept secrets. This is an off-the-beaten track tour with plenty of recognizable towns and sights to keep guests excited and engaged.
“Micro-Group” tour
just four to eight adults!
14-day tour, all-inclusive except air
TOUR #1 is booked (June 10 to 24)
TOUR #2 is open for immediate booking (June 25 to July 9)
We might offer a third tour in August, depending on demand
DAY 1:
DAY OF ARRIVAL in Frankfurt, Germany / Miltenberg (1)
We leave the airport and drive east, bound for the small town of Miltenberg am Main, northern Bavaria. This entire town is the epitomy of “Cozy” with many half-timbered houses and a grand old hotel called “Zur Riesen” or “The Giant.”
The Riesen has been welcoming guests since the 12th century. Among the luminaries who have stayed here is Martin Luther, Friedrich Barbarossa and Elvis Presley.
The current owners rescued the Riesen from certain destruction in the early 1970s.
Plenty of time to pursue photographs worthy of a postcard
DAY 2:
Rothenburg ob der Tauber (2)
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria. Rothenburg is about two hours from Miltenberg using the back country roads. We stop in the small town of Weikersheim on the way to see a castle and check out another potential Cozy Hotel.
We stay in Rothenburg two nights. You stay in the ultimate Cozy Hotel (just six rooms!) located in the heart of the old city center. Jim stays in his apartment about five minutes’ walk away.
Rothenburg is Europe’s most well preserved medieval city. A wall, with towers and many buildings dating from the 1600s and 1700s and before encircles it.
Downstairs is a lovely, dark and romantic pub and restaurant with some of Rothenburg’s best food and drink. A huge wine list presents wines from Franconia and other regions of the world.
DAY 3:
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
After breakfast in your hotel, you’re left with free time until noon to visit a museum or shop on your own. We meet at midday for lunch. The afternoon is also left to your own explorations. There are half a dozen worthwhile museums in town, Jim can help you pick one or two depending on your interests.
Jim suggests we go out to a country inn tonight to have schnitzel.
Later, you may wish to join the Night watchman on his rounds. This one-hour long tour explains the history or the town in a fun, entertaining way. The tour starts at 8 in the market square.
Note: Jim’s friends own a shop in Rothenburg and they offer to ship your purchases home to you.
Visit towns not on the normal tourist agendaDAY 4:
Nürnberg & Spalt (1)
We take the back country roads west to the city of Nürnberg where we spend most of the day seeing the sights. We then go to a town where Jim has never been before – Spalt, located south and a bit west. There must be a Cozy Hotel in this well-preserved old town! We’ll find out.
Taking an ice cream break in Regensburg
DAY 5:
Regensburg (1)
We travel south with a stop in Ingolstadt to scout for a Cozy Hotel. Then, on to Regensburg for the night at a hotel Jim knows and loves. (Also a Cozy Hotel) Regensburg’s history goes back to Roman days when it was a military camp, established around 187 A.D. Jim shows you the 14th century bridge and the sausage kitchen built to feed the workers building what was at that time a real wonder of the world. The sausages are still the best!
DAY 6:
Berchtesgaden (2)
We travel the back country roads to the Bavarian Alps and the beautiful small town of Berchtesgaden. Jim knows hotels large and small here, but our mission will be to stay in a place where Jim has never stayed before to see if it warrants status as a “Cozy” hotel or inn.
DAY 7:
Salzburg/Berchtesgaden
After breakfast, Jim shows you the sights of Salzburg including the house where Mozart was born and the house where he lived as an adult. Also, the house where the composer of “Silent Night” lived. We can also debunk some of the common misconceptions about the filming of the “Sound of Music” and the story of the family von Trapp. Jim will show you some of the sights in Salzburg connected with the real and the fake stories of this famous family. Two guests from 2009 in Salzburgs Mirabell Garden A woodcarver in the Schwangau area Anyone seen a girl named Heidi lately?
DAY 8:
Scenic Drive through Austria / Schwangau (2)
Most of the day is taken by our scenic drive through the Alps and Austria past Innsbruck and on to Garmisch, Germany. The highest mountain in the land is located here, and we stay in a small country inn/hotel Jim knows well for two nights to take in the sights. We headquarter in a hamlet called Schwangau-Horn.
Those sights we enjoy over the next two days include:
• The 18th century pilgrimage church at Wies
• King Ludwig’s fantasy castle “Neuschwanstein”
• Oberammergau, associated with the Passion Play and the wood-carving capital of Germany
Day 10:
Scenic Drive / Weesen, Switzerland (2)
Another eye-popping alpine drive as we pass from Germany through Austria and on to Switzerland for a two-night stay in the lakeside village of Weesen. Jim discovered this place in October, 2009 and it was a real treat. The scenery around Weesen is tremendous. We use the hotel Jim discovered (“almost” a Cozy Hotel) to scout around and locate other contenders.
DAY 11:
Switzerland
Taking in the scenery of this fabulous corner of the Alps. The book “Heidi” was set near here. Lucerne is near enough for a daytrip. Enjoy a cruise on the Rhein River DAY 13:
DAY 12:
Alsace (France) (Gleiszellen, Germany 1)
We leave Switzerland and spend the day exploring the wine road in the Alsace, France.
We take the Route du Vin up through one charming, colorful village after another, stopping often to check on potential Cozy Hotels. We cross the border late in the afternoon for an overnight stay at one of Jim’s favorite Cozy Hotels in the hamlet of Gleiszellen. The food and wine make this stop well worth it.
The Rhein and Bacharach (2)
We travel up through more vineyards to Bacharach for a two-night stay at one of our best-loved Cozy Hotels. Bacharach is also one of the most charming places to wrap up our adventure. The village has a castle high above it, and a wall around most of the village built in the 1300s and still standing strong. Towers here and there once protected the town from invaders. Now, they welcome crowds of daytrippers during the day.
DAY 14:
The Rhein and Mosel Valleys
Visiting these two river valleys, in particular, the hamlet of Beilstein on the Mosel to check out a potential Cozy Hotel.
DAY 15:
Day of Departure
After breakfast in our hotel, a trip across the Rhein and to the airport taking about 45 minutes.
This exploration of Germany’s known and little-known corners is priced at just $12,500 for two people sharing a double room. (Priced at about $8,000 less than what we would normally charge for a trip of this nature for two people)
Does not include round-trip airfare. There is no single supplement – price for a single is $6,250. Round trip airfare is expected to be about $1,000 pp.
Including
• An experienced guide who speaks German. James Derheim has been living and working in Germany since 1989.
• Ground transportation with plenty of room for personal space and luggage.
• All meals with freedom of choice (within reason) from the menu including beverages. No set menus.
Exceptional, small hotels and inns, some visited for the first time (which is part of the theme of this trip)
• A photo CD showing images of the places we visit
Sign-up deadline is April 21, 2010 for the June/July trip.
Total cost for two persons not including round-trip air: $12,500
Deposit: $2,000 (Visa or MasterCard accepted)
Balance due: June 1, 2010 (Check)
For questions:
James Derheim
Owner
European Focus
1408 State Street
941.330.0877
References gladly provided
Stunning Alpine scenery
Topics: Cozy Hotels, France Tours, Germany Tours, Switzerland Tours | 1 Comment »
March 22nd, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Berchtesgaden is really a worth travel destination. History and fantastic nature! Enjoy!