The Black Forest to Hannover
Holiday Highlights
- Scenic rail journeys
- Sightseeing in the Black Forest
- Sightseeing in Freiburg, Heidelberg and Hannover
- Optional excursions can be arranged
- 9 days from £1,350pp
Series 4, Episode 5, Great Continental Rail Journeys. Michael Portillo discovers how the story of Hansel and Gretel helped unify the nation and how the nation’s manufacturing reputation was shaped in the early 18th Century.
ITINERARY
Day 1 – Eurostar to Cologne
Lunchtime Eurostar from London via Brussels to Cologne for an overnight stay.
Day 2 – To Titisee
Rail transfer via the classic Rhine route to Titisee in the Black Forest. Free afternoon. Whilst in Titisee you will receive a Konus card which allows free transport on all local services in the area. The area was the inspiration for the fairy tales penned by the brothers Grimm.
Day 3 – Explore the Black Forest
Free day for sightseeing. Travel to Freiburg with its medieval Old Town and quirky streamlets known as Bächle. Take a trip on the Schaunisland cable car for a view over the surrounding area. Alternatively you could travel to Triberg, the home of the cuckoo clock whose distinctive design was copied from the houses built for rail workers in the 19th century.
Day 4 – To Heidelberg
Transfer by train from Titisee to Heidelberg in the morning. Free afternoon for sightseeing.
Day 5 – Explore Heidelberg
Free day. The town is dominated by the ruins of the 12th Century castle and is home to the oldest university in Germany. Heidelberg attracted writers and painters such as Goethe and Turner in the 18th and 19th Centuries and today is considered one of Germany’s most romantic cities.
Day 6 – To Hannover
Leaving Heidelberg transfer by rail to Hannover.
Day 7 – Discover Hannover
Free day to explore the city which lies on the river Leine. It was almost completely flattened in WWII as it was the home of arms manufacturing but it has been rebuilt. An ideal way to get your bearings is to visit the Neues Rathaus, finished in 1913. You can travel in a curved lift almost 100m to the top of the green dome and exit on to a viewing platform. There have also been trams running in the city for more than 100 years and today’s network makes it easy to explore.
Day 8 – Optional Excursion to Göttingen
Another free day to explore or take an optional excursion to Göttingen. The university was established in 1734 and has produced more than 40 Nobel Peace Prize winners. The city’s symbol is the Gänseliesel (the little goose girl) and tradition is that on graduation the students peck her on the cheek!
Day 9 – Return Home
Leaving Hannover after breakfast travel home via Cologne, Brussels and Eurostar to London arriving late afternoon.
Price Includes
- Rail travel
- Konus Card
- Hannover transport pass
- Accommodation in good quality hotels on a bed and breakfast basis
Price per person
From £1,350 per person sharing
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