Nuremberg & Franconia - Germany

The cultural heart of Germany, Franconia is home to some of the most evocative and well-preserved mediaeval art and architecture in Europe. Based in Nuremberg, birthplace of Albrecht Dürer, we will explore the region’s charming towns and cities including Rothenburg, Bamberg, Würzburg and Wagner’s Bayreuth, and we will discover its fascinating history from a patchwork of Teutonic tribes through the Holy Roman Empire to the turbulent 20th century. We will visit twice and you can choose between mid-summer and December when Nuremberg hosts its famous Christkindlesmarkt, one of the world’s oldest Christmas markets.

ITINERARY

• DAY 1 - FLIGHT TO MUNICH
  We fly to Munich and transfer to the 4 star Le Meridien Grand Hotel in the historic centre of Nuremberg where we stay for the duration of the holiday.

• DAY 2 - NUREMBERG
  Our first morning will begin with a guided walk through the old town of Nuremberg, including visits to St. Sebaldus, the city’s oldest church, which holds Peter Vischer the Elder’s bronze shrine, and to the restored mediaeval church of St. Lorenz, with beautiful stained glass and Peter Vischer’s suspended wood carving of the Annunciation. The day ends at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, which has a collection spanning Germanic culture from the Middle Ages up to the 20th century.

• DAY 3 - ROTHENBURG
  We visit the picture-perfect mediaeval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a popular stop on Germany’s Romantic Road. Highlights include the spectacular 16th century altarpiece by Tilman Riemenschneider at St. Jakob’s Church and the Reichsstadtmuseum. After lunch we will stop at the remains of the infamous Nuremberg Rally Grounds where the Nazi party held their National Congresses between 1933 and 1938.

• DAY 4 - BAMBERG
  Today we will travel to the picturesque town of Bamberg, where we will see the extraordinary Altes Rathaus, which straddles the Regnitz River, as well as the Romanesque cathedral containing a statue of the mysterious Bamberg horseman, and the city museum housed in the old bishops’ palace. During the afternoon we explore the palatial rooms, picture collection and rose garden of the Neue Residenz.

• DAY 5 - WÜRZBURG
  Today is spent in the university city of Würzburg where we visit the cathedral, partially reconstructed after WWII, and the town hall, before stopping for a wine-tasting at Julius Spital winery. The rest of the day is dedicated to the Residenz, a wonderful UNESCO-listed Baroque palace designed by Balthasar Neumann with spectacular ceilings by Tiepolo.

• DAY 6 - BAYREUTH
  We head to Bayreuth this morning, best known for its summer Wagner Festival. Here we will see the Festspielhaus, specifically designed to show Wagner’s lavish productions, as well as the composer’s handsome house, now the Wagner Museum. In the afternoon we will go the house where Albrecht Dürer lived and worked right up until his death, followed by Nuremberg’s Imperial Castle, which overlooks the city.

• DAY 7 - RETURN FLIGHT HOME
  We transfer to Munich airport for our flight back to London.