Day 1: We make our way through France for our overnight stay in Metz.
Day 2: Departing after breakfast we arrive at the delightful Hotel Klosterbräustuben in time for dinner.
Day 3: This morning we start with a visit to Triberg, famed for its stunning location in the heart of the Black Forest, traditional wood-carvings and cuckoo clocks. Here we have the opportunity to see the beautiful Triberg Waterfalls. With a descent of 163m, over 7 cascades it is one of the highest waterfalls in Germany and one of the country’s finest natural sights. This afternoon we travel to Gutach with a stop en-route to view the world’s largest cuckoo clock. Built over a two-year period the clock is 50 times larger than a normal cuckoo clock and is the size of a small Black Forest House - large enough to walk inside. This afternoon we visit the Black Forest Open Air Museum with its collection of German farmhouses from the 16th to 18th centuries. Each house provides a fascinating step back in time with its period furniture, decoration and textiles. We will enjoy a 45 minute guided tour followed by a Black Forest gateau demonstration, which includes a slice of the delicious cake.
Day 4: Today we travel through picture-perfect countryside to Baden-Baden. En route we will make a stop at Mummelsee Lake. Surrounded by tales and legends of water nymphs and an underwater king, this stunning lagoon is the largest of the seven cirque lakes in the Black Forest remaining from the ice age. The Hornisgrinde, the highest mountain of the Northern Black Forest, provides a dominating backdrop to the lake. Following our stop we continue to the delightful spa town of Baden-Baden. With twelve natural thermal springs welling up from a depth of 2,000 metres and an unrivalled location between the sunny vineyards of the Rebland wine region and the wild forests of the Black Forest it’s not surprising the town was the summer capital of Europe during the Belle Epoque era. There will be plenty of time to explore this natural paradise with its Roman foundations and Neo-Renaissance architecture alongside elegant shopping and delicious eateries before returning to our hotel later this afternoon.
Day 5: Today is at leisure to switch off and enjoy the facilities at the hotel or perhaps relax in the lovely town of Zell am Harmersbach. Alternatively you may wish to travel a little further afield to the beautiful town of Gengerbach. The train station is a short walk from the hotel and visitors can take advantage of free bus and rail travel with the local visitor card. Gengerbach is a charming well-preserved medieval town with delightful shops selling hand-made toys and local crafts alongside wonderful cafes serving mouth-watering treats.
Day 6: Treading the tightrope between Germany and France, Strasbourg is a city straight out of the storybooks with the river itself forming the border of the two countries and we enjoy a full day visiting the city. The elegant capital of Alsafasce with its higgledy-piggledy, colourful houses and twisting streets offers a delightful blend of the two countries. To experience the best of the city, we take a circular canal cruise from downtown through to the impressive imperial district of Neustadt. The Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral is a must-see. For 227 years, this spellbinding sandstone structure was the tallest building in the world, and it's still well worth a trip to the top of the tower where views stretch as far as the Black Forest, some 30km away. There’s also a number of fascinating museums and galleries offering an insight into Alsatian life.
Day 7: After a delicious breakfast we say Auf Weidersehen to our wonderful hosts and begin our return journey, making an overnight stop in Metz.
Day 8: After breakfast, we continue our journey home.