Explore Nuremberg’s walled Old Town on an orientation that takes in its stone and timber-framed buildings and substantial medieval ramparts. The Imperial Castle rises above the historic centre, recalling the city’s importance within the Holy Roman Empire.

Look for the contrast between surviving landmarks and streets reconstructed after World War II. Nuremberg is also closely associated with the postwar trials, giving its picturesque centre a history that reaches well beyond the medieval period.

Meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers over a welcome dinner with wine in Berlin. It is a hosted introduction to the people sharing your journey through Germany and Austria.

Settle into the capital’s evening atmosphere as conversation turns to the cities, landscapes and traditions ahead. Unlike an independent restaurant meal, this gathering brings the group together at the start of the tour.

Explore Berlin with a Local Expert, travelling along the Kurfurstendamm past the war-damaged Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and through the Tiergarten towards the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate. Continue along Unter den Linden past Humboldt University and the State Opera, with a stop on Museum Island.

The route brings imperial Berlin and the once-divided capital into focus. See how preserved ruins, reconstructed buildings and the Brandenburg Gate tell different chapters of the city’s twentieth-century history.

Walk through Dresden with a Local Expert to see the restored Frauenkirche, the vast Procession of the Princes mural, Dresden Cathedral, the Semper Opera House and the Baroque Zwinger. Their richly detailed facades reveal the city’s former role as a Saxon royal capital.

Much of central Dresden was devastated during World War II. Its careful reconstruction makes this tour a close look at the city’s architectural revival, as well as the art and ceremony of its earlier courtly life.

Get to know Munich on an orientation tour featuring the Feldherrnhalle on Odeonsplatz, the former palace of the Wittelsbach dukes, the English Garden and the Hofbräuhaus. See St Peter’s Church and Marienplatz, the square at the heart of the old town.

The sights introduce several sides of Bavaria’s capital: its royal heritage, broad green spaces and longstanding beer-hall culture. Historic squares and lively public spaces give Munich a character distinct from Germany’s other major cities.

Join Munich’s Oktoberfest with reserved tables and a dedicated host. Experience the festival’s tent atmosphere, fairground rides and entertainment, with beer and Bavarian specialities forming part of the included evening meal.

First held in 1810, Oktoberfest has grown into a celebration drawing millions of visitors. Traditional Bavarian dress, bustling festival grounds and communal tent tables make this more than a beer tasting: it is a chance to take part in one of the region’s most recognisable traditions.

Savour Bavarian specialities at a traditional Munich restaurant, experiencing regional food in the setting where it is part of everyday social life. This included dinner offers a different perspective on the city’s food culture from the crowds and spectacle of Oktoberfest.

Share a relaxed evening around the table and discover the hearty style of cooking for which Bavaria is known. The restaurant setting gives the meal its local character without the pace of the festival grounds.

Discover Salzburg with a Local Expert, visiting the formal gardens of Mirabell Palace and seeing Residence Square, Salzburg Cathedral and the fortress above the Old Town. On Getreidegasse, see Mozart’s birthplace amid the historic shopping street’s distinctive facades.

Mirabell Gardens and Residence Square also feature in The Sound of Music. Together with the city’s Baroque streets and musical heritage, these locations show how Salzburg’s historic setting became familiar to audiences far beyond Austria.

Ride the funicular to Hohensalzburg Fortress, high above Salzburg’s Baroque Old Town. Explore the imposing complex and its historic rooms and walls, and take in wide views across the city from its elevated position.

Founded in the eleventh century and enlarged by Salzburg’s prince-archbishops, Hohensalzburg is one of Europe’s largest preserved fortress complexes. Its scale and commanding hillside setting reveal the power once held by the rulers of this ecclesiastical city.

Travel through the Berchtesgaden countryside, where Alpine peaks rise above green meadows, farmhouses and mountain villages. Visit Maria Gern pilgrimage church, a white hillside landmark set against the surrounding mountains.

The scenic route offers a close view of rural Upper Bavaria, while the chapel adds a cultural dimension to the landscape. Its setting makes clear why this mountain region has long attracted both pilgrims and travellers seeking out its striking natural scenery.

Visit the Eagle’s Nest above Obersalzberg, using special mountain coaches for the steep ascent. From the mountaintop building, look towards the Hohen Goll and surrounding Alpine peaks across a landscape of dramatic ridges and valleys.

Built during the Nazi era and associated with Hitler’s regime, the site carries a difficult history that stands in sharp contrast to its setting. The visit offers an opportunity to consider that history while experiencing the remarkable mountain approach.

Cruise the Danube through the Wachau Valley, passing vineyard-covered slopes, wooded cliffs, churches and ruined castles. See the fortress at Durnstein from the river as the route winds towards the wine-growing area around Krems.

The Wachau’s river landscape has shaped its settlements and vineyards for centuries. Durnstein is linked to the imprisonment of Richard the Lionheart, adding a layer of medieval history to the valley’s scenery and riverside villages.

Visit a Wachau winery to explore its vineyards and cellars and sample local wines. Learn about the region’s distinctive wine-making style in the landscape where its grapes are grown.

Steep vineyard terraces line this stretch of the Danube, making wine an essential part of the Wachau’s identity. Tasting at a local winery connects the flavours in the glass with the valley’s slopes, climate and long-established viticultural traditions.

Explore Schonbrunn Palace with a Local Expert and walk through its formal grounds, including the eighteenth-century Crown Prince Garden. The palace and its carefully arranged gardens offer an introduction to the ceremonial world of Vienna’s Habsburg rulers.

Closely associated with Empress Maria Theresa, Schonbrunn served as an imperial summer residence. Its grand rooms and landscaped setting show how architecture and gardens were used to express dynastic power and courtly taste.

See Vienna’s grand Ring Road on a sightseeing drive past the Opera House, the Hofburg Imperial Residence and Parliament Building. The boulevard presents some of the capital’s most prominent civic and cultural landmarks in one sweep.

Built on the line of Vienna’s former city walls, the Ringstrasse became a showcase for nineteenth-century architecture. Its monumental buildings reflect an era when the Habsburg capital was reshaping its public spaces and projecting its imperial status.

Experience an evening of Viennese classical music and dance, with works by Mozart and Johann Strauss performed by soloists and dancers. A traditional Austrian dinner and drinks are included as part of the evening.

Vienna’s musical heritage is closely tied to both composers, from Mozart’s operatic and instrumental works to the waltzes associated with Strauss. Hearing their music performed in the Austrian capital brings that tradition to life beyond its concert-hall reputation.

Choose to visit Nymphenburg Palace during your time in Munich, exploring the former summer residence of Bavaria’s Wittelsbach rulers and its Baroque gardens at your own pace. Its long facade and landscaped grounds offer a quieter encounter with the city’s royal past.

The palace grew over successive generations, reflecting the dynasty’s changing tastes and ambitions. This is an optional visit at additional cost; ask your Travel Director about booking arrangements on tour.

Insight Vacations

• 4 Dinner (D)
• 10 Breakfast (B)

• Guided sightseeing tour with Local Expert in Berlin, Dresden, Salzburg and Vienna • Orientation tour of Nuremberg and Munich.
• Breathtaking scenic drive through Berchtesgaden countryside.

• Vienna: Indulge your senses with a magical concert of classic Viennese music and dance. Enjoy a delicious traditional Austrian dinner, then watch the works of Mozart and Strauss come to life.