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Germany Tour: Highlights of Germany – Part 2

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Hofbrauhaus Dray

Highlights of Germany - Part 2 of our Germany Tour Route, Itinerary and Comments: Part 2 of our Highlights of Germany tour post covers Day 5 till the end of the tour (see part 1 here >). As with the first part of this post, the sections in blue are from the brochure, followed by my comments in the white panels. DAY 5: Berlin (Sun.) Once the city of contrasts, with the Wall separating two different worlds, fascinating Berlin has since developed into a harmonious blend of new and old, … [Read more...]

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Germany Tour – Highlights of Germany

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Germany Tour Route May

Highlights of Germany - Our Germany Tour Route, Itinerary and Comments: This is the itinerary of a 12-day Cosmos Highlights of Germany tour which we did in September 2010. It's actually 10 days of touring when you discount the arrival and departure days.  This tour starts and ends in Frankfurt. When we were looking for tours of Germany in 2010, Cosmos was the only tour operator that offered an itinerary covering the north of Germany.  In particular we wanted to visit towns like Hamelin … [Read more...]

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Abba Berlin Hotel – Berlin

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Abba Berlin Hotel © Travel Signposts

Abba Berlin Hotel - Berlin Hotel Review Our two-night stay in Berlin was at the abba Berlin Hotel, a new, design hotel that opened about a year ago.  Not being an ABBA fan, the name of the hotel caused Tony a little pre-arrival anxiety - gosh, will we be hearing non-stop ABBA music piped throughout the hotel and will we be able to escape from it. We were also quite concerned that our Berlin hotel might be yet another hotel that's out in the sticks, as has mostly been the case on this … [Read more...]

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Nuremberg – Famous For The Historic Nuremberg Trials

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Pilatushaus and Kaiserburg, Nuremberg

Nürnberg - A Medieval City With Plenty of Historic Treasures Within Its City Walls: Situated on the Pegnitz River and the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, Nuremberg (Nürnberg in German) is Franconia's largest city. The first recorded mention of Nuremberg can be traced back to 1050 when a document signed by Emperor Heinrich III freed his serf Sigena. The document also mentions the location of the Imperial Castle. Due to its location on key trade routes, Nuremberg became one of the main trade … [Read more...]

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Hamburg – A Bustling Port City

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Hamburg Harbour © GNTB/Merten, Hans Peter

Hamburg - A Hanseatic League City With a Very Modern Outlook : Hamburg, Germany's second biggest city is also the second largest container terminal in Europe after Rotterdam. Once a leading member of the Hanseatic League, this city on the River Elbe prides itself of its maritime charm. Hamburg is a very prosperous city and the Port of Hamburg is the biggest revenue generator for the city. Communications, heavy industry and media also play significant roles in Hamburg's economy. For a … [Read more...]

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Hameln – The Pied Piper's Town

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Hameln Historic Centre - © Travel Signposts

Hamelyn - Made Famous by the Pied Piper Legend: Located on the River Weser in Lower Saxony, the town of Hameln (Hamelin in English) is the gateway to the  Weserbergland mountain range. Hameln first began when a small monastery was founded here as early as in the 9th century and from which a village then developed around it. By the 12th century Hameln had grown to town status. Being on the River Weser, Hameln's wealth grew due to its convenient position as a trading centre. Hameln was a … [Read more...]

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Nordlingen – A Medieval Town on the Romantische Strasse

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Map of Nordlingen centre

Nordlingen on Germany's Famous Romantic Road: Half way along Germany's famous Romantic Road is the town of Nordlingen. Nordlingen sits in the Ries Basin, a large crater which according to information by the Nordlingen tourist office was formed millions of years ago as a result of a meteorite colliding with earth. During the Medieval Ages, Nordlingen was a free town under the Roman Empire and played an important role in trade. The fortification walls which surround the city include 15 … [Read more...]

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Dresden – One of Germany’s most Beautiful Cities

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The Zwinger - Dresden

Dresden on the Elbe: With its scenic setting alongside the winding Elbe River, Dresden is reputedly one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. When you visit this charming and historic city with its baroque architecture, it's hard to believe that most of the buildings have been rebuilt since WWII. Dresden first gained pre-eminence in 1485 when the Albertine Wettins established their residence here. It enjoyed great growth during the 18th century when it became a cultural centre, as a … [Read more...]

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Lübeck – A Symbol of the Hanseatic League

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Aerial View of Lubeck

Lübeck Cultural Attractions Symbolize its Great Past as a Free Hanseatic City: Founded in 1143, this picturesque medieval town of Lübeck was a member of the powerful Hanseatic League and up to this day its cultural attractions symbolize the great past of Lübeck as free Hanseatic city. Lübeck was founded as the first German city on the Baltic Sea. The historic Old Town which is surrounded by water is a significant symbol of brick stone architecture from the Gothic period. Since the … [Read more...]

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A Holiday in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald)

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© Tourismus Marketing/Baden-Württemberg

The Schwarzwald is one of Germany's most Popular Holiday Regions: The Black Forest (Schwarzwald) is one of Germany’s oldest and most popular holiday regions and even people who aren’t familiar with the region know that it’s the home of the cuckoo clock, have enjoyed its famous Black Forest cake and heard of some old myths and legends of sorcerers, witches and werewolves that supposedly lurk in the dark forests. The Black Forest is a wooded mountain region in the German state of … [Read more...]

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