On this Oktoberfest tour through Germany, you’ll uncover a culture at once reverent towards the past and eager for the future. You’ll begin with visits to the modern metropolises of Berlin and Dresden before stepping back in time on the medieval streets of Bamberg. Your tour concludes in Munich, where you’ll raise a stein of Bavarian beer at Oktoberfest!

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Overnight Flight

Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to Berlin aboard an internationally recognized airline.

Day 2 - Berlin

Touch down in the capital of reunified Germany. A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport in Berlin after you clear customs and then assists you with the transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or begin acquainting yourself with the city, a spectacular center of German culture. Meet your fellow travelers at an included dinner this evening.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner

Day 3 - Berlin

Since the Berlin Wall came down in late 1989, Berlin has continued to evolve into a thriving metropolis. A local expert guide introduces you to the monuments to Berlin’s intricate past as well as signs of its re-emergence as a vibrant cultural center. Arrive at the Brandenburg Gate, once the symbol of the undeclared Cold War, and now the symbol of a reunited Berlin. See the site where Checkpoint Charlie once guarded the border between East and West Germany. As you see where the Berlin Wall actually stood, imagine the bleak watchtowers and piercing spotlights that guarded “the border.” Journey down Unter den Linden, once considered one of the world’s most elegant boulevards. Spend a free afternoon exploring Berlin on your own or take part in an optional World War II walking tour.
Included meals: breakfast

$69 USD

World War II Walking Tour Take a walk through history on this insider’s tour of Berlin during World War II, detailing the rise and fall of Hitler and the Third Reich. You’ll start in the Wilhelmstraße area and see the building that once housed the headquarters of Hermann Goering’s Luftwaffe. You'll also view the former headquarters of the infamous SS and Gestapo, the massive Reich Chancellery and the Propaganda Ministry. Finally, stand directly above Hitler’s Führerbunker as your guide details the last days of World War II in Europe. Lunch is included.

Day 4 - Berlin

Travel to Potsdam, the pride and joy of former East Germany. Once the royal playground of Prussian King Frederick the Great, Potsdam was also the location where American, British and Soviet leaders drew up plans for the postwar administration of Germany at the Potsdam Conference in 1945. A local guide introduces you to the town then escorts you through Cecilienhof Palace, built by Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany in the early 1900s and the site of the Potsdam Conference’s iconic photograph of Truman, Churchill and Stalin.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Cecilienhof Palace

Day 5 - Dresden

Leave Potsdam for Dresden today. Upon arrival, enjoy a guided tour of Dresden, once considered by many to be the most beautiful city in the world. Pass the renovated Semper Opera House and a statue of Martin Luther. Visit the New Green Vault, as well as the gardens at the magnificent Zwinger Palace, now home to the works of such luminaries as Raphael, Dürer and Titian. You’ll also visit Striezelmarkt, one of the oldest Christmas markets in Dresden. Here, holiday fare and goodies that spruce up the Dresden city center during this time of year. Later, enjoy an included dinner with your group.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrance fees: New Green Vault

Day 6 - Dresden

Today, pass the time at your leisure in Dresden or embark on an optional excursion to Gorlitz, including lunch.
Included meals: breakfast

$95 USD

Görlitz On a guided tour of Görlitz, you'll visit St. Peter and Paul Church and The Holy Trinity Church, which houses the world's only perfect copy of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Continue on to Zgorzelec, located a stone’s throw away at the German-Polish border. Until 1945, the modern day towns of Zgorzelec and Görlitz were a single entity. In their current separated state, each town offers unique insights into their nations' shared history. Lunch is included.

Day 7 - Bamberg

Travel to Bamberg by way of Weimar, where you’ll enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of the city. This intellectual hub nurtured the genius of Goethe, Nietzsche and Schiller, as well as the entire Bauhaus architectural movement. The city also gave rise to the Weimar Republic, the failed attempt to establish a liberal German democracy between the two World Wars. Reach the Bavarian town of Bamberg for this evening’s included dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 8 - Bamberg

Today’s guided tour leads you through the plain, islands and seven hills of Bamberg. Wander through the historic Old Town, named a UNESCO World Heritage site for its well-preserved medieval buildings and feel, which was spared any destruction during World War II. See the Bamberg Cathedral, a Romanesque structure with four imposing towers, which ranks as Bamberg’s most famous landmark. Then pay a visit to “Little Venice,” an old colony of quaint fishers’ houses on the banks of the river Regnitz. This afternoon, delve into Germany’s medieval history with an optional excursion to Rothenburg.
Included meals: breakfast

$55 USD

Rothenburg Visit Rothenburg, the best-preserved walled town in Germany. Enjoy a guided tour of the city, including stops at the Town Hall, the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum, and St. Jakob's Church, where you'll see a 500-year-old, hand-carved wooden altarpiece.

Day 9 - Munich

This morning, travel to Munich, a city renowned for its festive and charming traditions. Upon your arrival, embark on an expertly led guided tour of the Bavarian capital. Travel past the Olympic Stadium, the fashionable Schwabing district and the Residenz, once home to the Wittlesbach dukes of Bavaria. Pay a visit to Nymphenburg Palace and continue to Marienplatz, Munich’s medieval heart, where you’ll see the city’s famed Glockenspiel.
Included meals: breakfast

Day 10 - Munich

Slip on your figurative lederhosen today, as you join thousands of people from all over the world to celebrate Munich’s Oktoberfest. Today, you’ll have special admission to one of the Oktoberfest’s tents, where you can sample Bavarian delicacies (not included) throughout the day, along with steins of beer.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Oktoberfest Tent

Day 11 - Munich

Take advantage of your free time today for a walk in the Englischer Garten or a visit to the BMW museum. Or head into the Bavarian mountains on an optional excursion to Neuschwanstein, the fairytale castle of Mad King Ludwig. This excursion also includes a visit to scenic Oberammergau, known throughout the world for its open-air staging of the Passion Play, Germany’s oldest festival. Reflect on your travels at this evening’s farewell dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

$75 USD

Neuschwanstein & Oberammergau Head into the mountains of Bavaria on an excursion to Neuschwanstein, the storybook retreat of “Mad” King Ludwig. View the castle’s turrets and towers as you climb the winding road via carriage. Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle was modeled on Neuschwanstein's whimsical design. As you tour the castle’s interior, you’ll see many examples of the young king’s eclectic tastes. Within its chambers are a stalactite grotto, artifacts of all kinds and murals depicting his favorite scenes from Wagnerian operas. Continue on to Oberammergau, setting for the world famous Passion Play. Please note: This excursion involves a good deal of walking up and down stairs.

Day 12 - Munich

Continue on our tour extension to Vienna. Otherwise, a Go Ahead representative escorts you to the airport for your return flight home.
Included meals: breakfast
(In the case of early morning departures, breakfast may not be provided.)