Germany and the Danube
DAY 1: Fly overnight to Germany.
Day 2 (Munich): Arrive in Munich, meet your travel director and transfer to your hotel. Along the way, enjoy a panoramic orientation tour of some of Munich’s most famous sites, including the Olympic stadium and the classical architecture of King's Square. Enjoy dinner at the hotel before settling in for the night.
Day 3 (Munich): This morning, explore Bavaria’s capital on a guided sightseeing tour, followed by a visit to Nymphenburg Palace, built as a summer residence for Bavarian kings. Later, learn the sobering history of World War II on a visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp and Memorial Site. Opened in 1933, the camp was intended for political prisoners and became the model for all later camps. Return to Munich for dinner at the Hofbräuhaus.
Day 4 (Salzburg): After breakfast, journey to Berchtesgaden to visit the Eagle’s Nest, or Kehlstein House, gifted to Hitler on his 50th birthday and used as a conference center. Travel by special mountain bus service up the road, which is considered a modern engineering feat. In the afternoon, continue to Salzburg, where you will see all the important sights of the old city on a walking tour, including the Mirabell gardens, the busy Getreidegasse and Mozart’s birthplace, University Square, and the Old Market. You will also visit Residence Square and Fountain, the Cathedral, the Cemetery of St. Peter and Kapitel Square at the foot of the Fortress Hohensalzburg. Enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Day 5 (Vienna): A somber visit to the Mauthausen Memorial, the camp that Sonia Weitz and her sister Blanca were liberated from in May of 1945, starts your day. Afterwards, continue to Vienna, the capital of Austria and the birthplace of the waltz. During a free afternoon to explore, you may wish to sit at a café and try a slice of Sachertorte, a Viennese delicacy, or visit the Prater amusement park, which celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2016. Enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Day 6 (Vienna): Spend the day with a guide touring the most important historical sights of Vienna, such as the famous Ringstrasse, the state opera house, the museums of fine arts and natural history, parliament, the national theater, and city hall. The highlight of the tour is a visit to Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Hapsburg family. After an early dinner at the hotel, enjoy a traditional waltz performance.
Day 7 (Budapest): Travel to Budapest with a stop in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia and once the cultural, economic and political center of Central Europe. A guided walking tour will show you the historic, lively pedestrian streets of this charming city where local street vendors offer regional gifts. Continue to Budapest for dinner.
Day 8 (Budapest): Wake up in beautiful Budadpest, a capital city with a small-town feel. Sightseeing this morning brings you to Castle Hill, the 13th-century Matthias Coronation Church, the Royal Palace, and the Fisherman’s Bastion, an impressive architectural feat that stands as one of the symbols of the city. Conclude your tour with a visit of St. Stephen's Basilica, the largest church in the country. Enjoy a free afternoon to further explore the city, or perhaps cruise the beautiful Danube.
Day 9: Travel to the airport for your return flight to the United States.
