November 2010
Germany – Mainz, Munich, Nurnburg, Wurzburg (4days)
Czech Republic – Prague (2 days)
Austria – just past Salzburg (3 ¼ hours!)

Insight Vacations (IV) offer a Premium Coach touring product and in conjunction with their partner companies Trafalgar Tours and Contiki, offer a broad range of touring products of different paces right across the globe.

IV offer a door-to-door service within 100 miles of your departure airport so I was collected in a private car very early on the 23rd November. I had BA flights so had checked in online and easily deposited my bag on arrival. At the airport I met up with a fellow agent and after breakfast we departed Terminal 5 for Frankfurt.

On arrival we were met by an IV representative and taken to the Hilton Hotel in Mainz where we were met by our IV Tour Director; Bob who worked 24/7 to look after us. The hotel was undergoing some refurbishment which was not disturbing but meant my room lacked the wow factor. The view of the river and the location near the town centre were spot on. Although small Mainz seemed to have a lot to offer, not least the first xmas market we would find but it was yet to open. I consoled myself by finding my favourite German sweet shop ‘Hussel’ instead!

Our first meal was buffet style and the selection was superb. On an IV tour most breakfasts and dinners are included and lunches are easy to find. Some nights drinks are included too making it great value for money! Our group of 36 flew in from the four corners of the world so over the course of the evening we met fellow agents from Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and across the UK.

After an early morning call and a hearty buffet breakfast we joined our coach to set off for Munich. We started with a comfort and safety briefing – and also a comfort stop briefing! Bob was very good at knowing the location and fees of most toilets along the way- invaluable!

Our first scenic stop was Heidelberg. Unfortunately the heavens opened as we arrived but we had a gift of a warm IV scarf, and the bus carried plenty of IV umbrellas for our use. On the road again we started to advance through the Black Forest and we got our first glimpse of snow! Particularly exciting for the South African agents!

Heidelberg

We had an hour long stop enroute to get lunch before arriving in Munich. Making our way to the hotel we were given a tour past the Olympic grounds, BMW factory and visitor centre and a sprawling palace of King Ludwig which we made a short photo stop at.

At 4pm it was a timely arrival at the Westin Grand Arabella Park our home for the next 2 nights.
This is a really classy hotel with what felt like an express lift to the 12th floor. We had a panoramic view which in daylight the next morning extended to the Alps. The rooms were really well appointed with lovely wide beds. After a chance to freshen up we got back on the coach to go into the city centre. First for the Hofbrauhaus, a famous brewery, for a litre of beer (or a fizzy apple juice for me! – all included) and then we were taken to another restaurant for our evening meal of the local speciality; Pork and dumplings.

After a good sleep we set off on an excursion the next morning. We drove south and up into the alpine scenery to Linderhof. This is one of the residences of King Ludwig – an extraordinary fellow who liked very much to be alone. The palace was very opulent although more the size of a small country house and the grounds are apparently spectacular when the thousands of flowers are in bloom. It was just as fantastic blanketed in snow, although the walk down the hill was a little dicey!

Oberammergau

Our next stop was Oberammergau the location of this year’s Passion play – which only occurs every 10 years. Before this year I had never even heard of the place or why it was famous so I was quite amazed to find myself there. We had a chance to shop around and have a bite to eat. I think the little café owner was quite overwhelmed when he had a rush of 12 hungry and cold British travel agents wanting toasted sandwiches!!! On the way out of the alps we also visited Ettal Abbey which has the most beautiful domed church I have ever seen and looked even more beautiful from the outside because of the snow.

Ettal Abbey

Back at the hotel we had the afternoon at leisure so we looked around a small local market which was extended as a Christmas market. Our evening was spent at a small local eaterie and on the menu again – Pork and dumplings!

Next morning was an early departure and it had started to snow. Today would be our longest journey across 3 countries before our arrival in Prague. Our first stop was during our 3 hours in Austria and we stopped at a service station next to Mondsee – the lake which appears in the Sound of Music. Unfortunately because of the weather there was not much to see but the service station was like none you would find here. Tables with waiter service and tablecloths and lots of apple strudel!

At the border with the Czech Republic on advice from Bob we stopped to change money before visiting Cesky Krumlof. Again a small Christmas market had opened, selling warm crisps and chestnuts and crafted goods. We found an excellent place for lunch on the square and I had the biggest chicken sandwich I’ve ever seen!!

Cesky Krumlof

The last leg of our journey got us in to Prague after dark, me and my roommate were treated to a top floor room with balcony, a view of the river and across the rooftops of the town – which looked beautiful the next morning when we woke to a dusting of snow.

Rooftops of Prague

Taking pictures in Prague in the winter you could not ask for more than to have blue skies and a crisp sunny morning. It was below freezing which meant we had to keep moving and we did on a tour of the cathedral and castle grounds before coming down to Charles Bridge, and then on to the main square of the town where we saw the astronomical clock strike midday. We had an afternoon left to our own devices and the Christmas market had opened that day so the whole city was buzzing with people. Other markets were scattered around the main square so we walked around, did some shopping and had lunch before retreating to the warmth of the hotel.

On St. Charles Bridge

Our evening here turned out to be the most entertaining. We were taken to a restaurant with traditional music and dancing – an IV Highlight dinner. We were joined by coach parties from Russia and America, the food was good, the wine kept coming and the entertainment amusing – mostly because no one really could understand!!! If nights like this are included on every IV tour I definitely want to come back for more!

Wurzburg Xmas Market

Our last full day took us back to Germany via Nurnburg and the largest Xmas market in Germany. However we found it much easier to spend our money the next morning at the market in Wurzburg – not least because at 10am on a Monday morning there is no one around! Another trip to my favourite chocolate shop before a transfer to the airport.

Luckily I was on a flight which managed to get out of Frankfurt that night and I made it home via private door-to-door transfer at 1.30am – meanwhile my new friends and colleagues got to spend another night in Germany – snowed in and probably with Pork and dumplings for dinner!