UNESCO World Heritage site, Aachen Cathedral, in Aachen, Germany

UNESCO World Heritage Tour of Germany

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

Germany

Places Visited

Cologne, Cologne Cathedral, Essen, Zeche Zollverein...

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Suggested Duration

10 Days

Overflowing with surprise, Germany's ancient land reveals inspirations that would change the world. Medieval castles, historic churches, artistic movements, steel barons, regal palaces and more, the country's World Heritage sites provide a narrative on our planet's development, compelling and confounding as they sweep across the centuries. This unique 10-day tour explores 11 of the country's most resonant UNESCO sites, each an unmistakable piece of world history.

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Explore an evocative sweep of Germany's World Heritage sites, traveling west to east and journeying through the eras
  • Start in Cologne, where a fabulous cathedral and quaint old town immerses you in the scents of yesteryear
  • Explore the raw imagery and sharp lines of Industrial Germany and the start of the steel barons
  • Discover the Dome of Aachen, a masterpiece that was sparked copies for many centuries to come
  • Lose yourself in Wartburg Castle, Germany's most iconic medieval fortress
  • Spend a day navigating through the life and times of Martin Luther, including the house where the Protestant Reformation was born
  • Find the expressionist artwork that's leftover from the Bauhaus School of the early 20th century and symbolizes the birthplace of modernism in Germany
  • Stand before the regal grandeur of old before stepping inside fabulous palaces and parks
  • Walk through the heritage of Berlin, from the line that once divided East and West to the housing estates that have inspired a continent

Detailed Description

Germany's landscape is one of contradictions. Picture Italy or Spain, and it's easy to conjure up a set of resonant images. But Germany? The country flickers across the paradigms, confounding its stereotypes with sites that meander across the centuries. Medieval villages hide among southern forests, iconic industrial sites that became blueprints for the world persist as palaces shimmer with regal excess while quaint churches are steeped in history. Some of Germany's World Heritage sites are from the 20th century, inspiring movements of art and design that shaped Europe. Others scroll back to the first millennium AD, and it's remarkable to think of how much war and conflict they've survived.

This is a country that quickly charms, throwing away its stereotypes as it reveals innovation and inspiration.  Home to 40 World Heritage sites, from prehistoric pile dwellings to primeval beech forests, Germany has much to offer.  You'll travel west to east across the country, this handcrafted luxury itinerary taking in 11 of the most diverse and significant UNESCO sites in the country. Over ten days you traverse the paradigms, starting in old Cologne and ending in the urban beauty of Berlin. Mostly rural, the route pieces together the secrets of the country and connects the enchantment of a nation: the birthplace of Martin Luther and the Reformation, the Bauhaus art school, a marble palace hidden by forests, a fabulous fortress from the 11th century.

Travel in a luxury saloon vehicle with your specialist guide, moving slowly across Germany. Actual driving time is short on most days, other than one three-hour drive from Bochum to Wartburg Castle. Sleep in sublime luxury hotels on route, boutique offerings that exude the charms of both rural and urban Germany. Not a journey through skyscrapers and bustling cities, this itinerary is an immersion in the historic atmosphere of the country; at the hotels and guesthouses you'll notice how the ambiance remains adorably old-world. Dotted throughout are a series of culinary and fragrant treats, along with many places that prefer to avoid any fame. Think along the lines of a meal at a locally celebrated brewery, designing your own perfume, watching musicals, and enjoying lunch from the chef who cooks for the German national soccer team.

Starting Price

$3,895 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

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