Hotel Excelsior is an excellent medium-grade hotel situated in the city centre and close to the station. 75 bedrooms, many with private facilities. Patio garden at rear. Restaurant immediately next to the hotel. A family run business with pleasant atmosphere and personal attention.

Bamberg is a gem of a city founded some eight hundred years ago, containing a wonderful collection of architectural treasures - perhaps the best known is the old Town Hall built precariously on a little island in the town's river. Observable from almost anywhere in Bamberg is the four-steeple silhouette of the part-Romanesque part-Gothic Cathedral; a splendid reminder of Bamberg's medieval beginnings. Of particular interest is the Schlenkerla Brewery Tavern (above right), the most productive, most visited and most traditional source of Rauchbier in Bamberg. It is siutuated in the middle of the old town, directly underneath the mighty cathedral, a half-timbered house on which the geraniums effusively glow in the summer. Anyone who did not come here and try the strong, unmistakable taste of  Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier cannot claim to have been to Bamberg.

Leave Wurzburg at 9:00 by Europabus coach to arrive at  Rothenburg at 12:00. Afternoon free. Two night stay at Hotel Zur Glocke:

Hotel Zur Glocke (on the left in the above picture) is a medium grade hotel located some 300 yards from the Marktplatz, the town's centre point. It has comfortably furnished bedrooms, lift, TV room and a two wood-panelled Weinstuben.

Morning free in Rothenburg leaving at 13:30 by Europabus to Augsburg arriving at 16:55. Overnight at Hotel Dom, a smallish hotel of medium grade in a quiet central location near to the main sights.

Morning free to explore this sadly underrated city with its substantial historic centre and fine pedestrianised shopping streets. The 17th century Town Hall, and churches of St Anna and St Moritz should be included in your morning stroll. Leave Augsburg by the 14:08 train to Fussen arriving at 15:55 for three nights at the family-run Hotel Sonne.

Leaving Fussen by 09:12 train to Augsburg you then board an InterCity train and arrive at Heidelberg at 13:54 where you stay for two nights at Hotel Anlage

The Hotel Anlage is a comfortable medium grade family hotel with a city centre location on the edge of the 'old town' area. Attractive ground floor breakfast room where, in the evening, snacks and drinks are available to house-guests. The bedrooms, twenty-one in all, are variously sized and decorated but all have private facilities, TV and telephone.

The oldest university town in Germany presents a picture-postcard panorama of town, castle and river. The old part of the town is a compact core running parallel to the River Neckar and through its centre runs the pedestrian-only Hauptstrasse, the city's main shopping thoroughfare, sprinkled with restaurants and the traditional inns and pubs favoured by students and visitors alike. To the south and overlooking Heidelberg is the centuries old castle. Spend some time here for although much of it is in ruins, some of the buildings within have been authentically restored. The splendid views from the ramparts come as a bonus. The River Neckar is another natural attraction best seen from one of the river boats or stand awhile on the ancient stone bridge and you will begin to understand why history and Heidelberg have gone hand in hand.

Afternoon departure at 14:54 InterCity to Cologne and Hook of Holland where you board the night ship on which you have a reserved cabin for your cruise back to England.