Harz Mountains Winter Wonderland

DAY 1

Travelling by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels, then onwards to Wuppertal for our overnight stay at the Flemings Hotel where we check in and enjoy our first evening meal together.

DAY 2

Today, we journey on the unique 'Schwebebahn' suspended monorail - Wuppertal's landmark - dating from the early 1900's and floating high above the River Wupper covering 20 stations (only 4 of which run above solid ground!). Afterwards, we will rejoin the German rail network continuing to Wernigerode, the capital of the Harz region, and our hotel for five nights, the HKK Hotel, where we check in and enjoy our evening meal together.

DAY 3

After breakfast this morning, we journey by rail to the historic and charming town of Goslar, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site boasting more than 1,500 exceptionally well-preserved half-timbered buildings. We enjoy a guided walking tour learning of the 1,000-year history and discovering the many crooked, cobble-stoned streets in the gorgeous Old Town with its fascinating atmosphere of liveliness coupled with peacefulness before returning to Wernigerode in time for our evening meal.

DAY 4

Today, we journey to our second UNESCO World Heritage Site at Quedlinburg which is widely considered one of the best examples of a medieval town and the Collegiate Church, which overlooks the town, is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture. We enjoy our lunch in Quedlinburg before taking the narrow-gauge Selketalbahn through the romantic Selke Valley and wintry forests to Alexisbad where we enjoy time to explore before retracing our steps to Wernigerode.

DAY 5

This morning, we enjoy an exhilarating ride aboard the Brockenbahn, a steam-hauled journey from Wernigerode through wintry 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. We enjoy these beautiful views from the warmth of the restaurant before returning to Wernigerode in time for our evening meal together.

DAY 6

After breakfast, we enjoy the day at leisure in Wernigerode and have the chance to explore this pleasant Harz town, affectionately referred to as the 'Pearl of the Harz', with its attractive market square and picturesque town hall. We can stroll around this quaint town with its timber-framed houses or take a trip up the hill to Wernigerode Castle, a stunning and romantic castle in the baroque style of architecture. A fond favourite of the Railtrail Tour Managers is Bar Altora, located near to the railway station, which has a miniature railway that delivers your drink to your table… a perfect way to spend a relaxing afternoon!

Day 7

We bid farewell to Wernigerode 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