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| 23rd23 | JunJun | 202323 | Passau, Germany, embark on the TUI Maya | | 21:00 |
| Passau is a German city located in the Southeast of Germany on the Austrian border. It is situated at the confluence of the rivers Danube, Inn and Ilz. The Three Rivers City, as it’s also known, is unique for its three contrasting currents of blue, green and black. Old Town of Passau is home to towering buildings of striking architecture: the majestic fortress Veste Oberhaus, the Pilgrimage Church Mariahilf and St Stephen's Cathedral. Many of Passau’s attractions can be found in this area, including the New Bishop’s Residence, the Gothic Town Hall, as well as many churches and museums. Visitors can stroll along the riverfront promenades and romantic lanes whilst enjoying the picturesque landscape. For modern art, The Museum of Modern Art and Glass Museum Passau are recommended as they offer something a bit different. Theatre and cabaret are a popular evening pastime, with performances at the former Prince Bishopric Theatre or some lively cabaret and Jazz at the Scharfrichterhaus. Visitors will also find many traditional local Bavarian and Austrian cafes and restaurants offering a cosy atmosphere with home cooked food from local produce. The German town of Passau’s snuggled up against the Austrian border, at the point where the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers meet. The peach and pistachio-coloured rooftops of the Altstadt stretch out on a skinny peninsula where the waterways come together. Its winding lanes are drizzled with churches, cafés and an Italian-inspired cathedral. Check out the huge church organ inside – it’s one of the biggest in the world. The squares in the town centre feel more like Mediterranean piazzas, thanks to ornate fountains and pastel-coloured houses. Across on the steep northern riverbank, the tree-glazed hills are home to Fortress Veste Oberhaus, which has watched over the town since Napoleonic times. |
| 24th24 | JunJun | 202323 | Regensburg, Germany | | |
| Regensburg is a medieval city of Bavaria in southeast Germany. It is situated on the northern point of the Danube River at its confluence with the Regen and Naab rivers. The city is famous for its iconic 12th Century stone bridge and sixteen arches, crossing the Danube into Old Town and is the oldest preserved bridge in Germany. Regensburg is also noted for its 13th Century Regensburg Cathedral and Gothic twin spires that feature prominently on the city’s skyline. Recently awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, the city is home to many preserved sites. Visit the the 2nd Century Porta Praetoria which served as the north gate to a Roman camp and St Peter’s Cathedral, with its French Gothic architecture. Also the 18th Century Thurn and Taxis Palace and the Old Town Hall, which is now home to the Imperial Diet Museum, are also worth a visit. Regensburg benefits from lots of parks and gardens for visitors to relax in, as well as walks and cycle paths along the banks of the rivers. Known by the locals as Germany’s Medieval miracle, Regensburg’s the perfect stop-in for German sausages and architecture dating back to the 11th century. As you pull into port, you’ll be rewarded with a cityscape view of terracotta-coloured roofs. Step into its narrow alleys, where tiny gift shops and cool cafés line cobbled pavements. Then visit the only Gothic cathedral in Bavaria – its pair of ornate spires will earn you a lot of likes on social media. The 12th-century Stone Bridge is also worth seeing. It was the only reliable way to cross the Danube for nearly 800 years, and is still intact today. And be sure to visit the 900-year-old Historic Sausage Kitchen, which is said to be one of the oldest restaurants in the world. |
| 25th25 | JunJun | 202323 | Nuremberg, Germany | | |
| Nuremberg is a medieval city located in northern Bavaria in Germany. It is Bavaria's second largest city and is noted for its iconic red roofed buildings and medieval architecture. The imperial Castle overlooks Nuremberg and was one of the most important fortifications of the Roman Empire. For more significant cultural history, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, one of the largest cultural history museums in the German speaking world, offers visitors exhibitions from Prehistoric all the way to present day. Walking tours around the city offer an enjoyable and active way to learn of Nuremberg’s history and culture. Through Old Town, discover fountains, wells, churches, and art treasures, as well as learning of the colourful past and cosmopolitan present of the city and its people. Nuremberg is also home to one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany, the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt, where visitors can purchase traditional handmade decorations and enjoy the famous gingerbread, mulled wine, and grilled sausage from over one hundred and eighty wooden stalls. Nuremberg’s a city that wears lots of different hats. The river port’s set south of the centre, between a bustling industrial area and a wedge of Bavaria’s trademark emerald-coloured forest. Take a 15-minute taxi ride into the old town, and it’s a very different picture. Gothic architecture and houses criss-crossed with timber beams set the tone, and there’s a castle that dates back to Medieval times. Nibble on lebekuchen – the trademark gingerbread-style snack – and get your shopping fix in Lorenzer Altstadt, where luxury and souvenir shops are jumbled together near the river. |
| 26th26 | JunJun | 202323 | Bamberg, Germany | | |
| Bamberg is a German town located over a landscape of seven hills and the confluence of Regnitz and Main rivers. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage Centre with Old Town home to structures dating back to the 11th century. An iconic landmark to visit in Bamberg is the town hall Altes Rathaus, located on an island in the Regnitz and covered in murals. Bamberg Cathedral, with its four towers and numerous stone carvings, is a striking example of Romanesque architecture. Head to the Market Gardeners District and visit the historical houses where centuries ago the town gardeners would grow and export produce such as onions, seeds and liquorice. In the town centre and heart of Little Venice, the rivers and arched bridges connecting the island city are reminiscent of Venice, with a lively atmosphere and modern shops set in historical surroundings. After a day shopping, head to one of the many Brewery pubs for some popular German beer. Bamberg is famous for its beer and is where its name originated from, with the town being populated by nine traditional breweries. Bamberg has a real love affair with Italy. The town’s often nicknamed the ‘Franconian Rome’, thanks to its assortment of churches dotted across seven surrounding hilltops. It’s big on history, too, just like its Mediterranean counterpart. The charming old town, a 20-minute walk from the port, has the nod of approval from UNESCO. Think timber-framed houses with gabled roofs, intertwined with a 13th-century cathedral and a town hall built into a stone bridge. The multiple rivers laced through the centre have earned the Klein-Venedig neighbourhood the nickname ‘Little Venice’, as well. |
| 27th27 | JunJun | 202323 | Marktbreit am Main, Germany | | |
| This German town’s right on the southernmost bend of the Main River. It’s full of historic half-timbered and Baroque buildings, all surrounded by the old city walls. Electric bicycles are popular here, and it’s easy to hire one for a few hours to explore both the narrow streets and the picturesque riverbank. You can also discover the town’s best bits on foot. Marktbreit was the birthplace of Alois Alzheimer, the man who first identified Alzheimer’s disease. His home is now a tourist attraction which you can visit. There are also many examples of Baroque architecture dotted about, like the town hall, the St Ludwig Church and the Seinsheim Castle. |
| 28th28 | JunJun | 202323 | Würzburg, Germany | | |
| Würzburg is a city in Bavaria in southern Germany. It is located on the River Main and is famous for its lavish baroque architecture and Franconian wine. The Residence Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is highly recommended. It is a well known example of Baroque architecture with its acclaimed staircase, impressive frescos and imperial hall. Other impressive sites in Würzburg include the towering fortress of Festung Marienberg, the Alt Mainbrücke old bridge, which offers ideal views of the Marienberg, Dom St. Kilian cathedral and the many churches of Würzburg including the Romanesque Neumünster. Many of these sites have their own museums for visitors to learn of the history or view unique collections. Other museums of interest are the Mineralogical Museum, exhibiting the world of minerals and stones, and the Botanical Gardens, with various greenhouses and outdoor areas to enjoy. Wine lovers will find an abundance of wineries in Würzburg, offering cellar tours and wine tasting as well as traditional Bavarian cuisines and hospitality. Enjoy wine soup, Gerupfter (cheese spread) and Sauerbraten (braised beef in wine) in a friendly traditional wine tavern. Grand architecture’s the main attraction in Wurzburg, which has a foot planted either side of the Main River. The main port’s on the outskirts, but a short taxi ride gets you among the Baroque buildings in the centre. Fortress Marienberg is perched on a hill overlooking the terracotta rooftops, and a statue-lined Medieval bridge leads to the Romanesque cathedral. Stroll a little further, and you’ll reach the grand UNESCO-accredited palace, known as the Wurzburg Residence. The local wine’s held in high regard, and there’s a brewery in the town that keeps local restaurants stocked with a signature wheat beer. |
| 29th29 | JunJun | 202323 | Miltenberg, Germany | | |
| Miltenberg is a city located in Bavaria and Southern part of Germany. Located on the banks of the river Maine the city grew from its medieval roots through Viniculture, wine trade, fishery, and general river traffic, into the established and preserved town of today. Visit the Museum Stadt Miltenberg, housed in the half timbered house called the Alte Amtskellerei (The Provost’s Office) and discover the town’s history through collections depicting culture back to the Romans. A visit to castle Miltenberg is also recommended. The castle dates back to the 11th century and is now owned by the city administration. With the castle in need of rehabilitation, the Museum Burg Miltenberg was opened to exhibit classic icons and contemporary art in a historical and significant setting. The keep of the castle, which reaches twenty seven metres high, offers picturesque views of the Main Valley below and is the perfect setting to relax and enjoy some refreshments. Miltenberg, tacked onto a horseshoe bend of the Main River, looks like it’s been lifted from the pages of a Grimm fairy tale. Half-timbered houses and cobbled streets gather close to the riverside. Open-air cafés and bars look across the pretty Alter Markplatz square, where a double-towered church rises above the pointy rooftops. Hauptstrasse covers boutique shopping and quaint souvenirs, and traditional German restaurants crop up as you stroll further on. In the background, tree-smothered hills and a castle-turned-museum fill the viewfinder. |
| 29th29 | JunJun | 202323 | Wertheim, Germany | | |
| Wertheim sits at the point where the Main and Tauber rivers meet, in Franconia – the green heart of Germany. This town’s bagged a beautiful setting, topped with an impressive castle that’s surrounded by avocado-green forest. Colourful buildings painted in sorbet-pink and lemon-juice-yellow line the wide streets, and there are lots of restaurants where you can grab a table under a striped awning. Ask if you can experience a German teatime – it’s like English afternoon tea, but with Rudesheim coffee and apple strudel. Glass is one of the town’s biggest exports and there are lots of souvenir shops where you can buy decorative mirrors and homeware. Don’t leave Wertheim without visiting the castle, either – some of it’s in ruins, but lots of parts are still intact. |
| 30th30 | JunJun | 202323 | Frankfurt, Germany, disembark the TUI Maya | | |
| You might hear Frankfurt referred to by another name – Mainhattan, alluding to the city’s setting on the Main River, as well as its futuristic skyline. But, mixed in with the new, there are timber houses and red-brick churches. Lots of the city was damaged in World War Two, but it’s since undergone a huge restoration project. Römerberg square’s now lined with traditional, Medieval-style buildings. Palmengarten is Frankfurt’s version of Kew Gardens, with zones dedicated to rainforest, sub-Antarctic and desert plants. And the 200-year-old Städel Museum houses artworks by Van Gogh, Monet and Rembrandt. Get a feel for Frankfurt on the Ebbelwei Express tram, which does a circuit of the city, rattling past the zoo and Römerberg. |
