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DAY 1
Overnight flight
DAY 2
Arrival in Munich
Arrival in Munich
Welcome to Munich! After clearing customs, you’ll meet your Full-time EFCB Tour Guide and the rest of your group. Did you know that the first Oktoberfest took place here in 1810?
DAY 3
Excursion to Dachau
Excursion to Dachau
Visit nearby Dachau, formerly the site of a WWII Nazi concentration camp and now a moving memorial and museum. The camp was liberated in April 1945.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle
Visit Neuschwanstein Castle, which was the model for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle and also home to one of the weirdest kings in Europe's history.
Walking tour of Munich
Walking tour of Munich
Your tour guide will walk you around the Bavarian capital. Pass the iconic Frauenkirche, with its twin copper domes, and arrive at bustling Marienplatz. Then continue past the Hofbräuhaus, Munich's most famous beer hall (among many).
Welcome dinner
Enjoy some group bonding time at tonight’s included dinner.
DAY 4
Transfer via Innsbruck
Transfer via Innsbruck
En route to Italy, stop in Innsbruck, located at the intersection of several Alpine passes. The site of two Winter Olympics, Innsbruck is the quaint capital of the beautiful Tyrol province. Explore the town square and perhaps enjoy an Austrian sausage.
Arrival in Venice
Arrival in Venice
Continue on to legendary Venice, with its famous canals. Did you know Venice is built on 117 different islands?
DAY 5
Sightseeing tour of Venice (local guide)
Sightseeing tour of Venice (local guide)
A local guide will lead you on foot through the narrow streets and open piazzas of Venice. Start at St. Mark's Square, whose basilica allegedly houses the saint's remains. See the famous Grand Canal and the 324-foot Campanile bell tower, and then finish your tour at an incredible glass-blowing demonstration (Venetian glass is famous around the world).
Doges’ Palace
Doges’ Palace
Visit the 14th-century pink-and-white palace, from which Venetian dukes once ruled. Walk over the famous Bridge of Sighs, connecting the palace and its prison. According to lore, prisoners would sigh with sadness as they crossed the bridge and saw their city for the last time. Legendary lover Casanova once escaped from this prison.
Free time in Venice (afternoon)
Top 5 free time suggestions:
1. Castello – Take a walk through this charming district; try to make it all the way to the San Pietro di Castello Island.
2. Rialto Market – Browse the noisiest, most colorful spot in Venice, where vendors sell a lively assortment of fruits, vegetables, and fish.
3. le Zattere – Walk along this picturesque quay, with its choice views of the Grand Canal and its popular gelato stop.
4. Glassware shopping – Take home a piece of high-quality crystal blown in the finest Venetian tradition.
5. Gondola ride – Enjoy the classic Venice moment; with luck, your gondolier will serenade you as he directs the boat along the romantic canals.
For more ideas and details, see our Venice city guide.
DAY 6
Transfer via Verona
Transfer via Verona
On your way to Switzerland, stop in Verona, home of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Verona was an important city during the Roman Empire, earning its nickname piccola Roma (little Rome).
Arrival in Lucerne region
Welcome to the majestic Swiss Alps. Did you know that the average Swiss person eats 23 pounds of chocolate a year?
DAY 7
Sightseeing tour of Lucerne (EFCB Tour Guide)
Sightseeing tour of Lucerne (EFCB Tour Guide)
Explore Lucerne with your tour guide. Navigate the narrow streets and soak in the incredible mountain scenery. See the amazing Löwendenkmal (Lion Monument) and cross the Kapellbrücke, a mural-lined covered bridge from medieval times.
Optional trip up Mount Pilatus (extra cost)
Optional trip up Mount Pilatus ($70 until May 15, $80 after May 15; pre-booked)
Join this optional excursion to the top of Lucerne’s famous peak. Depending on the season, take a cog railway or a cable car to the summit at 6,387 feet. The views are unbelievable—visibility is 200 miles on a clear day!
DAY 8
Transfer via Rhine Falls and Black Forest
Transfer via Rhine Falls and Black Forest
See the thunderous Rhine Falls and drive by way of the Black Forest. Many familiar fairy tales—including old Brothers Grimm favorites—are set in these dark, dark woods.
Arrival in Heidelberg
Arrival in Heidelberg
Continue on to Heidelberg, Germany's oldest college town. Did you know that Karl Drais, inventor of the bicycle, was a student here?
Sightseeing tour of Heidelberg (EFCB Tour Guide)
Sightseeing tour of Heidelberg (EFCB Tour Guide)
Your tour guide will show you the highlights of the town. See Heidelberg's 700-year-old palace, and take in the stunning views of the Neckar Valley. Stroll down cobblestone streets en route to Marktplatz, where witches were burned at the stake back in the day.
Heidelberg Castle wine barrel
Heidelberg Castle wine barrel
See Heidelberg Castle's 58,000-gallon wine cask (the world’s largest), which once kept the locals very well-quenched.
Farewell drink
Share some last laughs (and maybe shed a few tears) over a farewell drink with the group.
DAY 9
Transfer to Frankfurt
Transfer to Frankfurt
After free time to explore Heidelberg, ride on to Frankfurt, where you'll spend your final night.
DAY 10
Flight home
Don't want to go home?
Plan beforehand, and you can change your return ticket and explore more of Germany on your own, or visit another country and fly home from there. To request special travel, fill out this form.