Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

There simply is no way to tour Europe & not be awestruck by its natural beauty, epic history & dazzling artistic & culinary diversity. Once you have ticked off the great Museums, panoramic vistas & energetic nightlife, what's left? A chance to indulge in a culinary adventure to beat all others, that's what!

And prepare for a roller-coaster ride of feasts, treats & temptations in Germany which has always marched to a different drummer - Lederhosen, Oktoberfest, polka dancing, Bavarian pretzels, sauerkraut & drinking beer like no others. Experience Deutschland's soul-stirring scenery, spirit-lifting culture, big-city beauties, romantic Palaces & half-timbered towns. It is Europe at its most exotic.

Berlin's combo of glamour & grit is bound to mesmerise all those keen to explore its vibrant culture, cutting-edge architecture, fabulous food, intense parties & tangible history.

Willkommen to Deutschland. Arrive in Berlin which has been the stage for a lot of world history & not just the fall of the Berlin Wall.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Berlin Brandenburg Airport International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel. 

If, for any reason you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes of waiting, please call the local Emergency telephone # listed on your Contact List. Please follow the advice given by our 24 / 7 Duty Officer.  Please do not exit the Airport & make your own way to the hotel.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

High on History| Cultural Trendsetter | Laid-back Lifestyle

Size-wise, Berlin is pretty big but its key areas are wonderfully compact & easily navigated on foot, by bike or by using public transport. Enjoy its iconic sights, its vast swathes of green, its sky bars & chic restaurants. There is nothing static about Berlin: it's unpredictable, unpretentious & irresistible.

Berlin's combo of glamour & grit is bound to mesmerise anyone keen to explore its vibrant culture, cutting-edge architecture, fabulous food, intense parties & tangible history. Berlin is a bon vivant, passionately feasting on the smorgasbord of life, never taking things - or itself - too seriously.

Bismarck & Marx, Einstein & Hitler, JFK & Bowie, they have all shaped - & been shaped by - Berlin, whose richly textured history confronts you at every turn. This is a city that staged a Revolution, was headquartered by Nazis, bombed to bits, divided in 2 & finally reunited - & that was just in the 20^th century! Walk along remnants of the Berlin Wall, marvel at the splendour of a Prussian Palace, visit Checkpoint Charlie or stand in the very room where the Holocaust was planned. Berlin is like an endlessly fascinating 3D textbook where the past is very much present wherever you go.

Berlin dates to the 13^th century. Reminders of the city's turbulent 20^th century history include its Holocaust Memorial & the Berlin Wall's graffitied remains. Berlin’s richly textured history stares you in the face at every turn. Its 18^th century Brandenburg Gate has become a symbol of Reunification. The city is also known for its art scene & modern landmarks like the gold-colored, swoop-roofed Berliner Philharmonie, built in 1963.

Berlin is a big multicultural Metropolis but deep down it maintains the unpretentious charm of an international village. Locals follow the credo 'live & let live' and put greater emphasis on personal freedom & a creative lifestyle than on material wealth & status symbols. Cafes are jammed at all hours, drinking is a religious rite & Clubs keep going until the wee hours or beyond.

Berlin is the city that truly never sleeps. Sometimes it seems as though Berliners are the lotus eaters of Germany, people who love nothing more than a good time. The city's vast party spectrum caters for every taste, budget & age group. From tiny basement Clubs to industrial Techno Temples, chestnut-canopied Beer Gardens to fancy Cocktail Caverns, saucy Cabarets to ear-pleasing Symphonies - Berlin delivers hot-stepping odysseys, and not just after dark & on weekends but pretty much 24 / 7.

When it comes to creativity, the sky is the limit in Berlin, Europe's newest start-up Capital. In the last 20 years, the city has become a giant lab of cultural experimentation thanks to an abundance of space, cheap rent & a free-wheeling spirit that nurtures & encourages new ideas.

Top international performers grace its Theatre, Concert & Opera stages; international art-world stars like Olafur Eliasson & Jonathan Meese make their home here and Clooney & Hanks shoot blockbusters in the Capital. High-brow, low-brow & everything in between – there is plenty of room for the full arc of cultural expression.

You can explore traces of history in the UNESCO World Heritage listed modernist housing estates, which are Sites. Every 3 years, the large, supra-regional festival of building culture, the Triennale der Moderne, focuses on Berlin's modernist architecture.

Berlin is also a proper shopping destination. Besides luxury shops along Kurfurstendamm, you will also want to check out the numerous flea markets around the Capital. Go on a shopping tour of Berlin & we are sure that you will find something to treasure.

Be sure to visit the popular food markets in Berlin's Market Halls & try out street foods from all over the world. No Berlin visit is complete without a taste of local cuisine.

Overnight.  

Morning, proceed (unguided - on your own) to the Pick-up Point to board the Hop On, Hop Off Bus tour. With 16 stops around the whole city, the tour gives you the perfect overview of Berlin to discover the city at your own pace.

Hop on / Hop off bus ticket is valid for 24 hours, giving you the opportunity to get off at any place you find interesting & get on the next bus. Suggestions below are “just suggestions” you can match with the Hop on / Hop Route / Itinerary, wherever possible. No Entrances are included.

Climb aboard to the upper deck of one of the comfortable open-top double decker buses for a panoramic tour through the fantastic city. Just sit back & enjoy the 1 hour drive from the comfort of your bus (with audio-guides explaining about the places you pass by).  Although the loop takes just about an hour, feel free to hop-off & get back on at any of the Stops as your Ticket is valid for the whole day. With buses departing every 20 - 30 minutes all day long, you will have the freedom to experience self-guided sightseeing of Berlin on your schedule without worrying about bus availability!

Listen to an introductory overview (audio-commentary via headphones) of the strange, winding history of Berlin, covering the city’s founding & continuing with stories about the turbulent years of war & modern era as the tour moves forward.

Take a walk back in time as you explore the many layers of history found in Berlin, covering everything from its Prussian period, to its violent 20^th century & the present period of rebirth. Visit landmarks from the city’s Prussian, Imperial, Nazi, Cold War & modern eras, offering insight into the evolution of this fascinating German Capital.

Travel beneath the monumental18^th century Brandenburg Gate.  Check out the rebuilt Reichstag, home of Germany’s Parliament, just nearby.

Brandenburg Gate, one of the city’s most iconic landmark, offers fascinating insights into the vibrant city’s history. An 18^th century neo-classical Monument built on the orders of Prussian King Frederick William II after restoring the Orangist power by suppressing the Dutch popular unrest.

The royal city gate, constructed between 1788 - 1791, designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans, architect to the Prussian Court, it was inspired by the monumental gateway at the elegant entrance to the Acropolis in Athens.

In 1946, with the post-war division of Germany & Berlin, when the Berlin Wall went up in 1961, the Gate stood in an exclusion zone in the Soviet sector, in an arc of the Wall, inaccessible for locals & visitors alike. When the Wall fell, 100,000 people gathered here for the Brandenburg Gate’s official opening on 22 December 1989 & soon afterwards, crowds thronged the area to celebrate their first joint New Year’s Eve in this once-divided city.

A symbol of division during the Cold War, Brandenburg Gate now epitomises German reunification & is now a national symbol of peace & unity. It stands sentinel over Pariser Platz, one of the city’s most attractive harmoniously proportioned Squares. By the end of the Second World War, the buildings around this historical Square were in ruins & reconstruction only started in the 1990s after Reunification & the buildings now include elegant town houses, Embassies & a luxury hotel. Brandenburg Gate never closes - so one can visit it 24 / 7.

Why not enjoy the fantastic atmosphere at the renowned New Year’s Eve to welcome in the New Year Berlin-style - with live music down on the party mile & a stunning fireworks display! Or join the hundreds of thousands of fans at the large screens cheering on their football teams in the summers of the FIFA World Cup or the UEFA EURO championships. But on any day of the year, the Brandenburg Gate is a magnet for locals & visitors - not only emblematic of German unity, but also the Berlin lifestyle!

Berlin is the city where German history is written & the Reichstag bears silent witness to the turbulent history of the country & is one of the city’s most significant historical buildings.

The original building, completed in 1894, was designed by Paul Wallot & modelled after the Memorial Hall in Philadelphia with decorative motifs, sculptures & mosaics contributed by the artist Otto Lessing. Although it did not acquire its iconic dedication to “the German People” until 1916 when the words Dem Deutschen Volke are inscribed on its façade. At the time Kaiser Wilhelm II regarded the building as “the pinnacle of bad taste”.

The Reichstag served as the home of the German Parliament until 1933 when the building is badly damaged in a fire. This event marked the end of the Weimar Republic & provided a convenient pretext for Hitler to suppress dissent. Under Nazi dictatorship, the building fell into neglect & subsequently, was severely damaged during the Second World War. After the war, the Parliament was relocated to Bonn & the Reichstag remained in a virtual ruin until 1961 when a partial renovation was undertaken in the shadow of the newly erected Wall.

In 1990, the Reichstag was the site of the official reunification ceremony. After another year of intense debate, it was decided that it will once again be the home of the German National Parliament. The careful restoration & redesign was completed in 1999 & the new German government convened at the Reichstag for the first time on April the 1990.

Head next to Museum Island, pausing at the Berlin State Library (once the workplace of Albert Einstein) & the Neue Wache Memorial as you continue.

A place of meditation & remembrance right in the middle of the busy city - the Neue Wache is the Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Victims of War & Dictatorship.  Designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Prussia’s most important & famous architect, the building is dedicated to those who had fallen in the Napoleonic Wars & the Wars of Liberation.

From 1960, the GDR used the restored building as a Memorial to the Victims of Fascism & Militarism, with an eternal flame burning in the middle of the room. In 1969, the mortal remains of an unknown soldier & a nameless Concentration Camp victim were interred, surrounded by soil from Second World War battlefields & the Camps. Until 1990, every week there was a changing of the guard at the Memorial, with soldiers marching up & down in goose step.

In the centre of the bare, simple, top-lit room, is an enlarged replica of the statue Mother with her Dead Son by Kathe Kollwitz. Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s choice of Kollwitz’s Pieta gave rise to a lengthy & lively discussion on whether it was a suitable Memorial to the actual victims of the Nazis.

Unter den Linden Boulevard, is a thoroughfare that links Stadtschloss Royal Palace & Pariser Platz & Brandenburg Gate. By the 19^th century, this elegant street was among the most famous in the city, growing even more grand as Berlin’s boundaries pushed further west.

Walk along remnants of the Berlin Wall, marvel at the splendour of a Prussian Palace, hear the amazing stories of Cold War Berlin at Checkpoint Charlie or stand in the very room where the Holocaust was planned. Berlin is like an endlessly fascinating 3D textbook where the past is very much present wherever you go.

Then explore Pariser Platz, the location of Hitler’s bunker & the Holocaust Memorial, commemorating the many Jews that lost their lives during the Nazi regime. The city is also known for its art scene & modern landmarks like the gold-colored, swoop-roofed Berliner Philharmonie, built in 1963.

Close to the Brandenburg Gate, in the middle of the city is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe & imposing place of remembrance & warning, ceremonially opened in 2005.

In 1999, after lengthy debates, the German Parliament decided to establish a central Memorial site. The design competition was won by the New York architect Peter Eisenman.

On a site covering 19,000 square metres, Eisenman placed 2711 concrete slabs of different heights. The area is open day & night & from all 4 sides, you can fully immerse yourself in the fully accessible spatial structure. The Memorial is on a slight slope & its wave-like form is different wherever you stand. The uneven concrete floor gives many visitors a moment of giddiness or even uncertainty. Its openness & abstractness give you space to confront the topic in your own personal way. The sheer size of the installation & its lack of a central point of remembrance call into question the conventional concept of a Memorial.

There is an underground Information Centre, covering 800 square metres where one can find information on the victims & the locations. Themed rooms such as the Room of Dimensions, the Room of Families, the Room of Names & the Room of Sites deal with the fates of individuals, with photographs, diaries & farewell letters. Short biographies take the victims out of their anonymity. Historical photographs & film footage show the sites of persecution & extermination.

You may want to stop at the Topography of Terror Museum, situated at the former Gestapo & SS Headquarters. Hear from the Museum guide about the significance of the Museum’s location, which the city’s leaders consciously chose to help confront and reconcile the awful moments of Berlin’s past. Look down into the building’s excavated cellars, a haunting spot where political prisoners were once tortured & killed.

If you have time, visit the iconic Fernsehturm de Berlín TV Tower, the tallest building in the city, built in the 1960s by the German Democratic Government to demonstrate the strength & efficiency of the Socialist Party system. Today, the Tower shapes the skyline of Berlin, a landmark of a reunited Germany.

The elevators to the top only take just 40 seconds. Get a 360-degree panorama of Germany’s Capital & cultural centerpiece & discover Berlin from a height of 666 feet. See sights like Berlin Cathedral, Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburg Gate, Olympic Stadium, Reichstag, to name just a few. Take pictures in every direction & check out the informational displays for more information about the sights & scenery of Berlin. Hungry? Bar 203 has the solution, offering light snacks & drinks (own expense) with a stellar view.

Wrap up your Berlin walk on a lighter note with a stop at the modern area of Potsdamer Platz, a one-time “dead zone” between East & West that has since been rebuilt.

And now, about Christmas markets……

During the Advent period, Berlin is bathed in colorful festive lights. The grand Boulevards & Squares, as well as the small side streets & Museums, are beautifully decorated & radiate the holiday spirit.

You will be spoilt for choice when looking for Christmas Markets in Berlin where over 60 individual Markets are dotted across the vibrantly lit city. From around the end of November, great-smelling food & drink of the stalls entice visitors to spend the evening exploring the sights & sounds on offer.

The Berliner Weinachtszeit, located behind Alexanderplatz, is an excellent place to soak up the Christmas spirit. You will enjoy discovering rides, mulled wine & traditional toys among many other gifts here. And in winter, the Square transforms into a winter wonderland with a charming Christmas market, with lovingly decorated wooden booths offering traditional handicraft items & delicious Christmas specialities.

The 19^th century Alexanderplatz, named after Tsar Alexander I, who visited the Prussian Capital in 1805, is one of the best-known public Squares and has always been one of the liveliest places in Berlin, with shops, cinemas, restaurants & many attractions within walking distance. Originally till 1850, it was a military Parade & exercise ground, as well as a place where local farmers sold their produce & became a major transport junction in 1882 - for the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, regional trains, trams & buses. Most people simply call it Alex.

The other famous traditional Christmas market WeinachtsZauber is at the Gendarmenmarkt called the most beautiful Square in Berlin, in the cultural district.  Especially popular for its unique handmade-products, Manufacturers come from all over the world to show their talent & products in this market in the middle of Berlin. You can visit this Christmas market for products like origami, ivory & also many different sorts of art. Furthermore, there are many special delicacies to be found: A cup of white chocolate-milk, a bite of a fried apple or special cheeses from different parts of the world. Here, you will find not only arts, crafts & delicious refreshments but also music, drama & dance interludes that leave a wonderful impression.

Once, soldiers matched here, but today Berliners & tourists stroll across the Square, said to be the most beautiful public Square in Berlin, & perhaps the most beautiful north of the Alps. The ensemble of the Konzerthaus & 2 Church buildings embellished with Towers is in perfect harmony. In summer, Orchestras play the most beautiful lively classical melodies at the Classic Open Air series of Concerts, on the steps of the Konzerthaus.

There are many stalls with food & drinks, exclusive crafts & of course, Christmas decorations & souvenirs. A great thing is that most of the stalls will allow you to try for free so it is great to walk around and enjoy all the special products.

Return to the hotel on your own, whenever you prefer (unguided - on your own).

Overnight.   B 

Early morning, proceed for a day trip to Dresden.

You will transfer (on your own) to the Berlin Hauptbahnhof to board your train for Dresden. *Transfer is mentioned for illustration only. Optional. Supplement, if required.

Arrive in Dresden Hauptbahnhof & proceed (on your own) to the Meeting Point (unguided - on your own) to discover the city at your own pace with a regular city tour.  *Transfer is mentioned for illustration only. Optional. Supplement, if required.

Board the Hop On, Hop Off Bus tour. With Stops around the whole city, the tour gives you the perfect overview of Dreden.

Climb aboard to the upper deck of one of the comfortable open-top double decker buses for a panoramic tour through the fantastic city. Just sit back & enjoy the 1 hour drive from the comfort of your bus (with audio-guides explaining about the places you pass by).  Although the loop takes just about an hour, feel free to hop-off & get back on at any of the Stops as your Ticket is valid for the whole day. With buses departing every 20 - 30 minutes all day long, you will have the freedom to experience self-guided sightseeing of Dresden on your schedule without worrying about bus availability!

When the morning sun rises over the famous silhouette of the Old Town & the Elbe sparkles with light, even Dresdeners themselves cannot contain their enthusiasm. Saxony’s Capital boasts a unique collection of historic buildings, outstanding art treasures & its own distinctive character.

Known as the 'German Florence' on the Elbe, Dresden - Capital of the eastern state of Saxony, is distinguished by the celebrated Art Museums & classic architecture of its reconstructed old town. There are few city silhouettes more striking than Dresden’s. The classic view from the Elbe’s northern bank takes in Spires, Towers & Domes belonging to Palaces, Churches & stately buildings & indeed it is hard to believe that the city was all but wiped off the map by Allied bombings in 1945. But even though the buildings were levelled, their contents were safely removed before the bombings & now take pride of place in Dresden's rebuilt Museums, home to famous Collections of art, porcelain collection, prints, scientific instruments & jewelry.

Dresden's cultural heyday came under the 18^th century reign of Augustus the Strong (August der Starke) & his son Augustus III, who produced many of Dresden’s iconic buildings, including the Versailles-inspired Zwinger Palace which houses Museums including Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister, exhibiting masterpieces of art like Raphael’s “Sistine Madonna”. And the Frauenkirche. (Church of Our Lady) famed for its grand dome.

It was the love of art of the Electors of Saxony that turned the Elbe valley into a unique cultural landscape. It is thanks to this spirit of innovation & desire for continual progress that this tradition has been continued right up to the present day. And so today beautiful historic buildings stand alongside award-winning modern architecture. Art, culture & its position on the river, combined with its lasting beauty & things both new & rediscovered, all contribute to the fascination of the city of Dresden, which is constantly reinventing itself.

The city not only has a strong cultural attraction, it is also the political, economic & scientific centre of the Free State of Saxony. It is home to numerous Research Institutes & Universities, among them TU Dresden, which this year was honoured with the title of ‘elite university’.

Dresden & its surroundings may have been nicknamed "the valley of the clueless" under Communism (due to locals not being able to pick up West German TV), but its public institutions now proclaim themselves "fur ein weltoffenes Dresden" ('for a Dresden open to the world'). Take some time to get to know this fascinating, contradictory city.

Hop on / Hop off bus ticket is valid for 24 hours, giving you the opportunity to get off at any place you find interesting & get on the next bus. Suggestions below are “just suggestions” you can match with the Hop on / Hop Route / Itinerary, wherever possible.

Listen to an introductory overview (audio-commentary via headphones) of the strange, winding history of Berlin, covering the city’s founding & continuing with stories about the turbulent years of war & modern era as the tour moves forward

It won’t take you long to spot Dresden’s top attractions - the resplendent Zwinger Palace, Semper Opera House, the Church of Our Lady & the famous Bruhl's Terrace are all clustered along the waterfront.

Most perfect example of late Baroque architecture in Germany, splendid Zwinger Palace, a former royal residence, originally designed as an Orangery & a setting for court festivities & later used for Exhibitions, it was built 1710-28 as a collaboration between the architect Matthaus Poppelmann & sculptor Balthasar Permoser, on the orders of Augustus the Strong, who, having returned from seeing Louis XIV's Palace at Versailles, wanted something similar for himself. Primarily a party Palace for Royals, the Zwinger has ornate portals that lead into the vast fountain-studded courtyard, which is framed by buildings lavishly adorned with evocative sculpture. Atop the western Pavilion stands a tense-looking Atlas. Opposite him is a cutesy carillon of 40 Meissen porcelain bells, which emit a tinkle every 15 minutes.

Today it houses 3 superb Museums within its baroque walls. The Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters Gallery) & Porzellansammlung (Porcelain Collection) are unmissable, while the historic scientific instruments (globes, clocks, telescopes etc) at the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon are perhaps more for the scientifically minded.

The Old Masters Picture Gallery is home to a world-famous Art Collection & masterpieces such as the Sistine Madonna by Raphael, works by Titian & Canaletto, & paintings by other 17^th century Dutch & Flemish masters including Rembrandt & Rubens.

Next, we walk through the Dresden Castle complex & visit the iconic Frauenkirche (Church of the Virgin Mary). The sacred building was erected between 1726 - 1743, following the designs of George Bahr. It was crowned by one of Europe’s largest characteristic domes called the "stone bell" owing to its shape.

Frauenkirche - Dresden’s most beloved symbol - has literally risen from the city's ashes. The original Church graced the skyline for 2 centuries before collapsing after the February 1945 bombing & was rebuilt from a pile of rubble between 1994 & 2005. A spitting image of the original, today's structure may not bear the gravitas of age but that only slightly detracts from its beauty, inside & out. The Altar, reassembled from nearly 2000 fragments, is especially striking.

Since October, 30^th 2005 the steeple of the Frauenkirche overtops the Dresden skyline again. The reconstruction of the Frauenkirche is an impressive symbol of international reconciliation after World War II, largely with donations from German & international foundations. The Consecration attracted attention throughout the world. The Frauenkirche is a Lutheran Church.  An earlier Church building was Catholic until it became Protestant during the Reformation. The Neumarkt quarter around the Church is also to regain its status as the historical heart of the city.

Admire the baroque masterpiece as you learn how it was rebuilt after its destruction during WWII. The cupola can be climbed & the galleried interior is a wonderful place for Concerts, Meditations & services.

Admire the grandiose Semper Opera House, where premieres of works by Richard Wagner were held in the 1800s. Part of the historic center of beautiful Dresden, the Opera House was built in 1841 by Gottfried Semper. The very first Opera performed here was written by German composer Carl Maria von Weber.

The Semperoper is the Opera House of the Sachsische Staatsoper (Saxon State Opera) & the Concert Hall of the Staatskapelle Dresden, one of the world’s oldest & best-known Orchestras. It is also home to the Semperoper Ballet.

It was closed in August 1944 & was destroyed 6 months later by the Allied air attacks. Its reconstruction was a long time coming. Until 1985, Dresden residents were forced to do without their famous edifice. The ceremonial rededication took place on February 13, 1985, exactly 40 years after its destruction. There was also a devastating fire in 1878 & the Opera House was rebuilt by Semper’s son Manfred.  

The first performance was "Der Freischütz" by Carl Maria von Weber. The "Dresdener Festtage" in February & March 2010 commemorated the opening of the Opera House by establishing the Dresden Peace Prize, awarded to Mikhail Gorbachev. The much-anticipated Semper Opera Ball takes place every January. Various guided & themed tours allow tourists to explore the magnificent building & its sumptuous interiors. Today numerous Operas & Ballet performances, mostly classical, entertain the visitors.

5 minutes walk away is the Bruehl’s Terrace - Dresden's balcony with a unique Elbe river view.

The Terrace owes its name to count Heinrich von Bruhl (1700 - 1763), then a Cabinet Minister of Friedrich August II (1797 - 1854). Bruhl’s Terrace got gradually its current appearance above all by numerous building alterations at the end of the 19^th century, & the filling of the terrace bank.

Underneath Bruhl´s Terrace, which was opened up to the public as early as 1814, lies Dresden Fortress. Built as a ring of walls & surrounded by a water moat, they are thought to be the oldest Renaissance structures in the city. Mysterious vaults take you back into bygone times & models illustrate how Dresden once protected itself against enemies. Here, you will find the 400-year-old Brick Gate, Dresden´s only surviving original city gate, complete with the guard rooms. In addition, you can see the relics of medieval defence systems, the old town bridge, the small bastion & the casemates. There is a permanent Exhibition entitled The Renaissance Town Fortifications, where visitors can learn about those times.

It was in the Venus Bastion (Jungfernbastei) vaults beneath the Terrace that Johann Friedrich Boettger & Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus developed at the end of the year 1707, the procedure for the production of the first European hard-paste porcelain in 1708.

Stroll along the Elbe to see the Blue Wonder, a steel Bridge declared a miracle of engineering on its completion in 1893.

Enjoy free time free to have lunch (own expense). Perhaps, eat at any of the pubs & restaurants along the pedestrianized area of Weisse Gasse or see more on your own.

And now for the famous Christmas market here.

After driving around the highlights of the city, you can proceed to visit the famous Striezelmarkt Christmas Market. One of Germany's oldest documented Christmas Markets, founded as a one-day market in 1434, it celebrated its 580^th anniversary in 2014 - making it arguably the oldest in existence.

Today, the current Striezelmarkt Market is located in the Altmarkt, the oldest Square in the city. This is where Knight tournaments were once held. The Market has over 240 stands, offering local products & extends over half a mile between Prager Strasse & Hauptstrasse.

Twinkling lights, shimmering stars, children’s eyes all aglow, Christmas carols & the fragrance of mulled wine & gingerbread. If you fancy having your cake & eating it, then the Dresden Streizelmarkt is the place to head for.

There is no argument about what it is most famous for - the rich dried fruit & marzipan enhanced original Dresden Stollen (Streizel) cake without which no German Christmas would be complete. Stollen, is the distinctive Christmas bread from the city, leavened dough filled with candied fruits, dried fruit & covered with icing sugar.

The Market is ceremoniously opened with the turning on the light at the giant Erzgebirge, the world’s largest Christmas Pyramid, standing at 14 metres.

Visitors get an unforgettable experience from wandering among the typical & famous wooden houses, elf cottages, Puppet Theater & Santa Claus’ House - all which seem to come straight out of a fairy-tale. A feast for the eyes & ears, are the many Christmas music & dance performances. Other highlights here include the world’s tallest Nutcracker.

Relish the pleasures of strolling, snacking & seeking the perfect gift. Walking along the Stands selling Erzgebirge wooden art, Lausitz indigo prints, Moravian Stars, is something special for the senses where you can find the scent of sweets in the air, shimmering Christmas trees & the glittering Nativity scenes which envelops the visitor in a truly magical atmosphere.

In time, proceed (on your own) to Dresden Hauptbahnhof to catch the train back to Berlin. *Transfer is Optional. Supplement, if required.

Arrive in Berlin & proceed to hotel (on your own).  *Transfer is Optional. Supplement, if required.

Balance of the evening is at leisure (if time permits, we will be happy to offer suggestions for optional activities & arrange)..

Overnight.   B 

Alas, like all good things, your enchanting short glimpse of Berlin & Dresden comes to an end & it is time to say au revoir.

Check-out of the hotel by 11:00 am (if the departure time is later in the evening, we will request the hotel to allow the use of the hotel facilities & leave the luggage at the Bell Desk if you have the time to walk out). 

Germany is full of wonderful culture that just wants to be discovered. There is something for everyone in this ancient country’s most diverse selection of towns & cities and its top Museums & other cultural institutions.

With so much culture to explore & cuisine to taste in Berlin & beyond, spending 4 days here is bound to be a fantastic glimpse / experience but certainly not enough do justice to the city or the country.

So, you see, you have much more to discover if you come to enchanting Germany ‘again’ & we will of course, look forward to be able to facilitate that.

“Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember & remember more than I have seen” – Benjamin Disraeli

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? - Berlin Brandenburg Airport International Airport, for your onward journey. B

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