Great German Rail Ale Trail

DAY 1

Travelling by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels, then onwards to Düsseldorf where we enjoy a guided tour of Düsseldorf's Altbier including a beer tasting. We transfer to our base for one night, the Ibis Hotel, where we check in and enjoy our first evening meal together.

DAY 2

After breakfast this morning, we continue to historic Wernigerode, the capital of the Harz Region, at the foot of the beautiful Harz Mountains where we transfer to the HKK Hotel, our hotel for the next three nights. After we are checked in, we travel by rail to Quedlinburg for our evening meal.

DAY 3

Today, we enjoy an exhilarating ride aboard the Brockenbahn, a steam-hauled* journey from Wernigerode through scenic landscapes up to the highest peak of the Harz region. At 1,125m altitude, Brocken Station is the highest narrow-gauge station in Germany and offers a breathtaking panorama of the Harz National Park. Returning to Wernigerode, the remainder of the day is free to discover the market square in front of the picturesque town hall and wander amidst the quaint half-timbered buildings overlooked by Wernigerode's stunning castle before we reconvene for our evening meal together.

DAY 4

This morning, we enjoy a guided walking tour of Wernigerode before continuing by private coach to Einbeck where we discover a handsome town whose 600-year-old brewery is famous for strong Bockbier. Here, we have a guided tour of Einbeck Brewery where brewing tradition dates back to the 14th century when every citizen had the right to brew beer. With 700 brewers in town, the city council would purchase the excess and export it far and wide, leading to Einbeck's international renown. Afterwards, we return to Wernigerode in time for our evening meal.

DAY 5

After breakfast today, we leave Wernigerode and transfer by rail to Nuremberg where we check-in to the InterCity Hotel, our base for the next three nights. We enjoy a guided tour of the city visiting the sights and ending in style with a tour of the old cellar labyrinth of the Altstadthof Brewery where we also enjoy our evening meal.

DAY 6

Today, we visit the delightful city of Bamberg, a town famous for its small breweries and whose cityscape is a UNESCO World Heritage site. During our visit, we enjoy a guided tour followed by lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Nuremberg for an evening at leisure.

DAY 7

After breakfast this morning, we journey south for the day arriving in Munich where we enjoy free time to explore the attractive centre around Marienplatz before meeting for our lunch at the famous Hofbräuhaus. In the 16th century, Wilhelm V of Bavaria would import Einbeck beer which he considered superior to the local brew before eventually deciding to found his own brewery in Munich, the Hofbräuhaus. Afterwards, we retrace our steps to Nuremberg for an evening at leisure.

DAY 8

After breakfast, we leave Nuremberg and journey to Cologne for an overnight stay at the Hotel Domspitzen*. This evening, we enjoy a fascinating Kölsch Beer tour with a local guide before our final evening meal at a traditional Kölsch brewery tavern.

*In May, our hotel will be the Maritim Hotel in Cologne.

DAY 9

We bid farewell to Cologne and to Germany, returning by rail to Brussels, where we will join the Eurostar service to London St Pancras.

*Important Note: Whilst the arrangements for all described steam train travel are in place, we do reserve the right to make substitutions should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner