Day 1
You fly to Frankfurt where you will be met and then drive to Wurzburg, and your hotel for the next three nights, the excellent four-star Maritim where we also have dinner. Straddling the River Main and surrounded by vine-clad hills and wooded slopes, the city’s origins stretch back to Celtic times.

Day 2
This morning we travel back in time, following the “Romantic Road” itself. The route’s name derives from its poetic journey through history, evoking the period when its medieval towns held ultimate sway and Teutonic chivalry reigned supreme. You can sense the history in unbelievably picturesque medieval villages whilst Baroque churches and hilltop castles unveil before you as we wind along the stunningly beautiful Tauber valley. We soon arrive in the undoubted jewel, spectacular Rothenburg where you meet the 16th century head on! It simply could not be more idyllic, crowning a hill overlooking the meandering river below, nestling securely behind perfectly preserved medieval walls.

At the peak of its power, this Protestant town suffered greatly during the Thirty Years’ War subsequently remaining too impoverished to expand beyond its walls in the ensuing centuries thus ensuring its almost perfect survival creating today’s present gem. Narrow, cobbled streets lined with tall gabled, half-timbered houses with staircase turrets and oriel windows lead to St Jakob’s Church and a fine medieval Town Hall at its heart. Built high on a hill, the views over the meandering river below are astonishing and such is the atmosphere, it would not surprise you to meet a knight on horseback or a court jester around the very next corner! You really have a genuine glimpse of the past.

Returning to Wurzburg which, during the 18th century was a seat of the Prince Bishops who created the truly magnificent Residenz, one of Europe’s finest Baroque palaces, constructed to outshine Vienna, Versailles and other great courts of the day – an aim which in artistic terms as you will see, they certainly achieved! There is a huge amount to admire here and our tour brings this splendid buildings history and architecture to life. You start with the incredible staircase, said to be the world’s most beautiful – with its glorious frescoes plus the marvellously intricate decoration of the Imperial Hall. Progressing further you can admire one room completely covered in gold leaf, and another having 600 mirrors. Fine-art adorns the beautifully wood-panelled walls and there are extensive views over the elegant gardens. One of the most unusual rooms has the most incredible acoustics you will probably ever experience. Walk across the room and your footsteps echo with increasing resonance, then on reaching the centre, the noise reverberates seemingly forever in a series of surreal crescendos! The calculations involved to create this effect 300 years ago are quite startling. It is easy to imagine why Napoleon is said to have called this stunning building the “nicest parsonage in Europe”.

Day 3
This morning enjoy an easy drive though the scenic Steigerwald Natural Park to remarkable Bamberg, quite simply one of Europe’s most beautiful small cities, staggeringly so, but easily on a par with Prague! A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the masterpiece you see today began its artistic journey during the 11th century when the Emperor Heinrich II planned a capital as grand as Rome. Although it never became so large Bamberg boasts spaciousness with a wealth of fine buildings belying its size. Pride of place goes to its outstanding gothic cathedral but this is but one example of the city’s shining beauty and range of architecture, from Romanesque to Baroque it is like an incarnation of an architectural text book. Not only is it historic, it is stunningly beautiful too with a network of shining canals and a fascinating tangle of lanes lined with merchants’ houses culminating in its picturesque main square and traditional daily market.

You must visit the town hall, covered with the huge colourful frescoes so typical of central Europe, almost hovering on wooden piles whilst below the River Main flows swiftly on. Add the 11th century former Episcopal palace plus a host of other things to see and Bamberg really is a gem. We have included a walking tour of this superb baroque townscape whose reflections dance on the river, lending an extra special ambience to the whole gorgeous scene. There’s also time to simply wander where your feet take you or perhaps sample the local beers, noted as some of Germany’s finest. We return to Wurzburg in good time for dinner.

Day 4
We leave Wurzburg heading downstream along the picturesque River Main valley with the medieval theme continuing as we call at another stunning historic town, Wertheim. Nestling beautifully at the confluence of the Main and Tauber, it’s a patchwork of twisting alleys and superb panoramic viewpoints with a ruined castle looming high above. Following the valley we soon arrive in Miltenberg acknowledged as one of Germany’s most stunningly beautiful villages, medieval and beautifully preserved. Continuing we join the Niebelungstrasse Route running through the heart of the Odenwald Forest, the inspiration for the medieval myths and legends of the great Wagnerian epics with which it is so indelibly linked. We stay two nights with dinner, at the comfortable four-star Maritim in Mannheim.

Day 5
This morning we visit nearby Heidelberg enjoying a guided walking tour of this wonderful city, which positively flaunts its beauty. Its setting is second to none, nestling by the picturesque river Neckar, in a valley dominated by its imposing castle, high on a wooded hillside - a real-life fulfilment of the perfect medieval German landscape! The town itself is a maze of historic, baroque and gabled buildings lining the river with its romantic old-town behind. Adding to this, its 14th century university, one of the most prestigious in Europe lends Heidelberg that genteel atmosphere rather similar to that of Oxford or Cambridge.

During the 19th century it was the centre of Germany’s Romantic Movement, on the route of ‘The Grand Tour’ and visited, amongst many others, by the artist Turner who captured its splendours for eternity. During our guided walk we see the principal sights but Heidelberg’s greatest monument, is simply the city itself. During the afternoon, you are free to explore as you wish, perhaps taking a stroll through the picturesque squares and lanes to enjoy a cooling “weisswein” or a tasty beer in one of the many delightful street cafes or heading up the hill for a closer look at the pink sandstone magnificence of the castle, before returning to our hotel for our final dinner.

Day 6
Today bid farewell to this historic and traditional corner of Germany returning to Frankfurt at the appropriate time for your return flight.

Wurzburg - ?Maritim Hotel Wurzburg (www.maritim.com) four star rated, centrally located directly on the banks of the River Main, it offers great views of the Marienberg Fortress which towers high over the city. The hotel has a wine bar, 2 restaurants one with a terrace and overlooking the river, a bar and an indoor swimming pool. All of the rooms have a radio, telephone, lap top sized room safe, mini bar, Satellite TV and hairdryer.

Mannheim - Maritim Hotel Mannhiem (www.maritim.com).This four-star superior hotel positively breathes the elegance and sophistication from a bygone age, and is managed by one of Germany’s best hotel groups. Built in 1910, it overlooks the city centre’s colourful gardens and is built in Renaissance style, on entering you are immediately stuck by the high vaulted ceilings, Venetian glass chandeliers, marble floors and columns, polished brass, extensive use of hardwoods and is fully air-conditioned. Leather armchairs fill the tasteful bar and lounge whilst the beautifully furnished traditional restaurant serves international cuisine. The rooms have all the facilities you would expect of such a hotel and there is an indoor swimming pool as well.