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Reader Holidays - Berlin, Colditz and Dresden from Mid Devon Star

Sparkling cities of East Germany

Discover three of the most glorious cities of former East Germany. Spend two nights in reunified Berlin, and visit historic Leipzig, and the famous POW castle at Colditz, before a final two nights in stunning, Baroque Dresden - perhaps the greatest symbol of post-war restoration of all.

What The Price Includes

• Return flights from your local airport to Berlin
• Return airport-to-hotel transfers
• One piece of hold luggage per person
• Four nights' bed and breakfast accommodation at good hotels in Berlin (2) and Dresden (2)
• A tour of Leipzig
• A guided tour of Colditz
• A guided tour of Dresden
• The services of a Newmarket Tour Manager
• Government taxes and service charges

Single rooms are available for a supplement

Itinerary

Day One

Fly to Berlin and transfer to your hotel. After check-in, head out for a first look at the city. Berlin's legendary, efficient U-Bahn (underground), trams and buses bring everything within easy reach - from the restored 18th century Nikolaiviertel district, to the courtyards of the ultra-trendy Hackesche Hofe market, full of shops, bars and restaurants.

Day Two

Get to know Berlin on this morning's guided tour. See the city's symbol of reunification - Norman Foster's startling Reichstag building - which rises close to the majestic Brandenburg Gate and the wooded acres of the Tiergarten. Stroll down Unter den Linden, past the great Staatsoper, towards Schlossplatz, and see beautiful Gendarmenmarkt - home to two stunning cathedrals and the city's new Konzerthaus. Elsewhere, in former East Berlin, Karl-Marx-Allee is a reminder of Socialist excesses, while our optional excursion to the giant TV Tower, the Fernsehenturm, offers a bird's-eye view of the former course of the infamous Wall. Delve deeper into Berlin's turbulent past at the 'Checkpoint Charlie' museum, see the Olympic Stadium, or enjoy shopping your way down the famous 'Ku'damm'. There's simply an unending array of things to see and do.

Day Three

This morning we'll journey south across the Elbe to historic Leipzig. This former home of Goethe, Bach and Schiller, university seat, and vibrant trade-fair venue epitomises the new Germany. Enjoy a guided tour, and perhaps visit Europe's oldest coffee-shop, or stroll through the arcades and courtyards of the city's Altstadt.Later this afternoon, we'll continue to the pretty town of Colditz, overlooked by the iconic Renaissance castle turned WW2 POW camp. An included guided tour will bring to life tales of Allied ingenuity and escape, before you continue on to Dresden for a further two nights.

Day Four

Discover Dresden on this morning's guided tour. In the south bank's Altstadt, the stupendous Frauenkirche lay in ruins for almost 50 years after WW2, and the Residenzschloss was a seat of Saxon kings that still houses a priceless jewel collection. On the northern bank, leafy Neustadt and neighbouring Aussere Neustadt brim with life, and are also home to several fascinating museums.

Day Five

Say "Auf wiedersehen" to Dresden and Saxony, and transfer back to Berlin to board your flight home.

Further Information

Wining and dining

Berlin has an outstanding selection of restaurants, both global and traditional. Sample local Boulette (meatballs) and Matjes (pickled herring), both best accompanied by traditional Berliner Weisse (beer with juice). For a snack on the go, Currywurst - spicy sausage with curried tomato sauce - from one of the countless Imbiss snack stands, is wonderfully savoury.

The following hotels are offered with this holiday (subject to availability and supplementary pricing)

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