Pied Piper & the Fairytale Harz Mountains

Day 1

After departure we make our way to the Channel port for the ferry crossing to France and continue to our overnight hotel in Belgium.

Day 2

After crossing the border into Germany we visit the Möhne Dam in the Ruhr Valley, scene of the famous Dambusters raid in 1943 by the Lancasters of the heroic 617 Squadron, which was critical to the outcome of World War II. From here we continue to our Goslar hotel in the glorious natural surroundings on the slopes of the Harz mountains

Day 3

Today we visit the quaint medieval town of Hamelin on the River Weser the famous as the setting for the famous Pied Piper children's story written by two of Germany’s most famous sons, the Brothers Grimm, who between them wrote some of the world’s best-loved fairytales. Many of the bakeries offer rat shaped breads and you will even have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the Pied Piper and follow the ‘Rat Trail’ where thousands of handcrafted painted rats show you the way around the town.

Day 4

A day at leisure in Goslar.
Alternatively, we have an OPTIONAL excursion which takes us on a scenic drive through the beautiful Harz region to the delightful town of Wernigerode, know as the 'colouful town in the Harz'. It's medieval town centre has rows of charming, centuries-old, half-framed houses and is dominated by a fascinating, fairy tale castle. The day will include a journey on the Hartz Narrow Gauge Railway's famous Brockenbahn route for our rail journey to the Brocken summit, the highest peak in the Harz region.

Day 5

This morning is at leisure to explore over 1,000 years of history in the former imperial city of Goslar including the Romanesque imperial palace elevated over the city. Take a stroll through the crooked, narrow, cobble-stoned streets of the medieval Old Town with it's half-timbered houses, designated a World Heriate Site since 1992. With over 47 churches, chapels and monasteries, often referred to as the 'Rome of the North', the spires define the town’s unique silhouette. This afternoon we include an excursion to another treasure of the Harz region, Quedlinburg. An almost 1100-year-old city, with 2000 half-timbered houses from eight centuries, the Old Town has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status and is home to one of the best-preserved collections of medieval buildings in Germany.

Day 6

We leave the Harz Mountains today and begin our homeward journey crossing back into Belgium for an overnight stay

Day 7

After breakfast we continue our journey home via a ferry crossing back to Dover.

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner