Berlin to Prague by Train.

Welcome to Berlin, the capital city of Germany! We will meet you from your flight and transfer you to the hotel where your Tour Director will meet with you and your fellow travellers. Your adventure in the historic city  has begun!

Berlin is synonymous as the site of some of the most important events of 20th century history. Today the capital of unified Germany, it was famously split in two for the majority of the last century until the Wall came down in November 1989. But the city's importance in Germany and European history stretches back much further and is eveident all round. This morning, discover all about Berlin's fascinating history and influence on a panoramic sightseeing tour. See the opulent buildings, iconic sights and learn about the stark changes the city has undergone. 

In the afternoon, we'll head to the cultural heart of Berlin - Museum Island. Here you'll find a cluster of some of Germany's best museums, with the buildings' architecture as interesting as the exhibits inside. With your Museum Island ticket, you can visit the different museums - the New Musuem, Old Museum, Pergamon Museum, Bode Museum and Old National Gallery at leisure and see over 40,000 artefacts and objects on display.

A short drive out of Berlin is the city of Potsdam. Though its name is probably best known for the 1945 Potsdam Conference, the city is famous for its palaces and as the residence of the Prussian kings, until Kaiser Wilhelm in 1918. 

Schloss Sanssouci is the former summer residence of Frederick the Great and Germany's largest UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its original preserved 18th century interior and stunning tiered gardens make this palace a spectacular site to visit. Nearby, Cecilienhof Palace was built in the style of an English Tudor manor house. It was the site of the historic Potsdam Conference where the leaders of the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States met to decide the future of Europe after WW2. Today, it is another fascinating palace to dsicover and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today, after breakfast, we check out of the hotel and board our transfer to Berlin's Hauptbahnhof Station. Here we will board our train, weaving through the scenic German countryside to Dresden, the capital city of its Saxony region.
Sitting on the banks of the mighty River Elbe, Dresden was for a long time the royal residence for Kings of Saxony. Its regal history is evident in the city’s cultural and artistic splendour and its baroque and rococo city centre. Dresden was infamously heavily bombed by British and American forces in WW2, killing approximately 25,000 people of which the majority were civilians. Extensive post-war restoration work has helped to reconstruct parts of the historic inner city, including the Cathedral and Semper Opera House.
A combined walking and coach tour will reveal the secrets of this fascinating city before we check into our hotel and enjoy dinner as a group.

This morning we see evidence of Dresden's cultural past, as we head to the Gallery of Old Masters. Displaying hundreds of paintings by the 'Old Masters', its covers works spanning 300 years of some of Europe's most prominent painters. The Semper Gallery in which the collection is housed is also of note for its architecture. 

After lunch at leisure in Dresden, we board a leisurely boat trip to Pillnitz, enjoying a coffee and cake as we go. Pillnitz Park and Gardens are located on the banks of the River Elbe, the gardens noted to be Saxony’s most beautiful. Explore the historic summer palace and the extensive gardens before boarding a coach transfer back to Dresden for an evening at leisure.  

Meissen, lying some 25km upstream from Dresden on the River Elbe, is the oldest town in Saxony, its recorded history stretching back over 1200 years. The quaint town centre, dominated by its hilltop cathedral, is a joy to explore. The city is most famous though for its porcelain - Meissen was the first place outside of the Orient to produce hard-paste porcelain back in the early 700s. Today, the factory is still regarded as one of the world's best. A factory tour will show you the techniques and provide a chance to purchase some for yourself before we enjoy lunch at the pottery and a guided tour of the town. 

In the afternoon, we head to Mortizburg Schloss. This palatial Hunting Lodge is straight out of a fairytale. Set on an island in the middle of a forest, this baroque building will provide photo opportunities a plenty. 

Return to Dresden for dinner and overnight as we bid our 'farewell to Germany'.

After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and transfer to Dreden's station to board our train south through Saxony and into Bohemia, to Prague.

Taking just under 2.5hrs, the train weaves its way through Germany and across the border into Prague. 

The capital of the modern day Czech Republic, and the historic capital city of the Kingdom of Bohemia, Prague has seen many rulers over the years. At times part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire as well as Soviet Empire, the Czech Republic was formed in 1993 when it split from Slovakia in the Velvet Revolution. In the afternoon, a walking tour will reveal the sights and history of Prague's Old Town, revealing sights such as See Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square and the Astronomical Clock. Enjoy dinner together this evening. 

This morning, we head off to discover Prague's past with a visit to the Palace. Sat on a hilltop ridge on the opposite side of the River Vlatva to the Old Town, the historic palace was the seat of the Kings of Bohemia. Overlooking the town, it is an imposing sight still today. Here we will also get the chance to visit St. Veits Cathedral and St. George's Church. 

Walking back into the Old Town, the rest of the afternoon is at leisure for you to explore. Why not try some of the Czech Repulic's famous export - Pilsner beer? Alternatively, the 'city of a thousand spires' has enough sights and shops to keep almost everyone entertained. 

In the evening, its time to get together one last time as we bid farewell to Prague and our European adventure with a dinner cruise. See the sights of the city illuminated as we sail along the River Vlatva whilst we dine. 

Time to bid farewell to the Czech Republic, as we check out and make your way to Prague Airport to commence our journey home