This tour can start on any day and may be done in reverse.
You may fly in/out of Brussels or Düsseldorf
Day 1: arrive Brussels
transfer by train to Bruges (Brugge)
transfer by taxi from station to hotel (about € 7)
check-in Hotel Portinari
rest of day free
Day 2: Breakfast in Hotel
Get to know Bruges on your own
or do an optional 2 hour guided tour (€50-advance reservation required)
afternoon: take a boat ride on the canal
Day 3: free for sightseeing,museums,shopping or take an optional tour.
Suggestions:
-Day tour Flanders Fields.
Visit the major WW1 battlefield sites including the "In Flanders
Fields Museum" at Ypers (Wipers!), probably the best WWI museum!
- Take a day trip by train to Ghent (30 min)or Antwerp (90 min)
Day 4: Breakfast in hotel
Check-out.
Take taxi to train station for trip to Cologne by train.
In a little more than three hours the train takes you from
Bruges to Köln (Cologne) via Brussels.
Check-in at Hotel Domstern, located close to Cologne Main Station and
the Cologne´s most famous landmark, the Kölner Dom (cathedral).
The Kölner Dom is the largest gothic church in northern Europe, taking
632 years to build! Admission to the Cathedral is free of charge.
You may also want to visit the treasures of Cologne Cathedral (€ 4.00,
€ 1.00 reduction with your Cologne Welcome Card). The treasures of
Cologne Cathedral are displayed in the 13th century vaults – priceless
reliquaries, liturgical objects and vestments, insignia of the arch
bishops and priests, medieval sculptures and Frankish grave finds.
Cologne also is known as the “city of churches”, in no other German city
are so many churches within the realms of the old city wall. Then there
is the Rathaus (townhall), built around 1330, and some towers and parts
of the old city wall are still to be seen.
Cologne is famous for Chocolate. At the (Imhoff-) Chocolate museum you
can enjoy an expedition through 3,000 years of chocolate history (9%
reduction with your Cologne Welcome Card). In the summer time a small
tourist train takes you from the Cathedral right to the museum.
If you are interested in World War II and the Nazi-regime in Germany you
may want to visit the EL-DE House (€ 3.60, 20% reduction with your
Cologne Welcome Card). From 1935 to 1945, the EL-DE House was the
headquarters of the "Geheime Staatspolizei" (Gestapo) within Cologne's
administrative district. Today it houses the Cologne Documentary Centre
of the city's NS-history. Entering the basement level visitors can see
the small prison run by the Gestapo that has become a memorial site
today. Ten prison cells are still kept in the former shape where
political prisoners were locked up, interrogated, tortured and murdered.
In the upper levels a permanent exhibition gives general information
about the Nazi era in Cologne.
For museums lovers a definite “must see” is the Ludwig museum (20%
reduction with your Cologne Welcome Card)
You may also want to experience Cologne’s unique panorama from a cable
car and float above “Old Father Rhine” – the Cathedral city as
photographic subject for unforgettable impressions (€ 1.00 reduction on
the return tickets with your Cologne Welcome Card).
A visit to the original site of the famous Original Eau de Cologne on
Glockengasse 4711 is another option. The visit of the historic
exhibition on the gallery is free of charge and – of course – you can
buy the famous Eau de Cologne right there (5% discount on purchase from
EUR 15.00 with your Cologne Welcome Card).
Cologne looks back at over two thousand years of history, and there is
something “historical” to see at almost every corner. Take a day or two
to explore this truly interesting city and enjoy modern life surrounded
by history’s influence.
Day 5: Breakfast in hotel
With your Cologne Welcome Card you may want to enjoy a second day in
Cologne and visit some of the sights you were not able to visit on the
first day. As an option you may also book one of the two tours from
Cologne:
Optional Tour 1: Koblenz & Rhine River Cruise
From Cologne it takes an hour to Koblenz. Koblenz is located at the Rhine
and Mosel River within a famous wine region. In the morning you have free
time to explore this beautiful city –one the historic Highlights Cities of
Germany. In the late afternoon you embark the “Weisse Flotte”, one of the
Rhine Cruise ships for a six hours Rhine cruise downstream from Koblenz to
Cologne. Along this cruise you will see scenic landscapes, Castles and
vineyards along this famous river. The add-on package is EUR 99 per person
(includes: unrestricted 2nd-class rail tickets from Cologne to Koblenz, 6
hour Rhine River Cruise from Koblenz to Cologne).
Optional Tour 2: Day trip to Heidelberg
In the morning the High-Speed-train takes you from Cologne to the romantic
city of Heidelberg. Heidelberg, with its idyllic location on the river
Neckar, the beautiful Heidelberger Schloss (castle) towering above.
Heidelberg, both historic and young, will capture you with its easygoing
charm, will remain unforgettable for those who stood in the castles
gardens, overlooking the town and the river, will make you feel history
while roaming thru cobbled alleys… .
From the Main Heidelberg Station a taxi will take you up to the courtyards
of Heidelberg castle from where you have a beautiful view of the city. You
may walk down from the castle into the historic Old Town or take the
funicular down. You have all day to explore this beautiful and lively
University town before you are heading back to the Main Station. In about
two hours you will be back in Cologne. The add-on package is EUR 99 per
person (includes: unrestricted 2nd-class rail tickets from Cologne to
Heidelberg, taxi transfer from Heidelberg Main Station to Heidelberg
Castle, unrestricted 2nd-class rail tickets from Heidelberg to Cologne).
Day 6: Breakfast in hotel
Rail to Brussels.
Check-in at Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, located close to Brussels Centraal
Station.
Free time to visit Brussels
Day 7: Breakfast in hotel
Train ride to Brussels airport
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