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Adventure Travel invites you
to experience this legendary event
on one of the special vacations being
offered in 2010.
from
$2599.00
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Oberammergau
2010 |
The quaint village of Oberammergau is world famous
for its spectacular Passion Play, performed by the
locals just once a decade.
In 1634 the Black Death decimated Europe’s population.
Oberammergau remained untouched until a homesick
villager returned one night, unknowingly bringing
with him the dreaded plague. Almost 100 villagers
died as a result.
Frightened
survivors vowed
that if God saved them from the plague, once every
10 years they would reenact the agony and crucifixion
of Christ. From then on there were no further deaths
from the plague—and the villagers have fulfilled
their pledge ever since.
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Amsterdam
/ Rhineland / Munich
Oberammergau
/ Venice / Lucerne
Montreaux
/ Paris
Itinerary:
Day 1 Board your overnight transatlantic flight.
Day 2 Arrival in Amsterdam, Holland. The day
is free to rest or to start exploring the Dutch capital. This
evening meet your traveling companions and Tour Director for a
welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Day 3 Amsterdam. A Local Guide shows you the
700-year-old capital, and the highlight is a CANAL CRUISE past
patrician mansions, gabled façades and humpback bridges. Next,
visit a major DIAMOND CENTER to appreciate how a rough mineral
is transformed into a sparkling jewel. You may wish to visit one
of Amsterdam’s many museums. Later, an optional excursion to Volendam
can be arranged. (B)
Day 4 Amsterdam-Heidelberg, Germany-Rhineland.
On the way to Germany, a passing glance at the Dutch region best
known as the locale of A Bridge Too Far. Stop in Cologne to visit
the awesome twin-spired gothic CATHEDRAL. Then the afternoon’s
highlight: a romantic RHINE CRUISE past castle-crested cliffs,
terraced vineyards, and trim, half-timbered towns. Next stop is
Heidelberg, famous for its red-walled castle. (B,D)
Day 5 Rhineland-Rothenburg-Munich. Enjoy a leisurely
morning break on the Romantic Road in spectacular Rothenburg with
its ramparts and towers, cobbled lanes, and 16th century houses.
South towards the Danube Valley and Munich, Germany’s “secret
capital.” How about an optional outing to the famous Hofbräuhaus
tonight? (B)
Day 6 Munich-Oberammergau. Your morning orientation
features the Olympic Stadium, the 1,000-foot-high Television Tower,
and a picture stop at Nymphenburg Palace. Next, visit Munich’s
most famous square, MARIENPLATZ with the Old and the New Town
Halls, and the gothic Frauenkirche. Then into the Bavarian Alps
to picturesque Oberammergau for the highlight of this vacation:
the original PASSION PLAY, held every 10 years, and performed
by the residents of Oberammergau. (B,L,D).
Day 7 Oberammergau-Innsbruck, Austria-Venice, Italy.
Morning break in Innsbruck, capital of the Austrian Tyrol. Stroll
through quaint medieval lanes to Emperor Maximilian’s GOLDEN ROOF.
Continue south on the spectacular Brenner Pass road across the
mighty barrier of the Tyrolean Alps into Italy to Venice, the
celebrated “Pearl of the Adriatic.” Tonight, enjoy the city’s
fine restaurants. (BB)
Day 8 Venice. Enter Venice in style by PRIVATE
BOAT to meet your Local Guide. Highlights of your walking tour
are ST. MARK’S SQUARE and the byzantine BASILICA, lavish DOGES’
PALACE, the Clock Tower, and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Also watch skilled
GLASS BLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old traditional
manner. Then, enjoy Venice at your own pace or join an optional
gondola ride. (B,D)
Day 9 Venice-Lugano, Switzerland-Lucerne. Through
the lush Lombardian plains, past the commercial capital of Milan
and into Italian-speaking southern Switzerland, stopping in flower-festooned
Lugano for lunch. Next, admire the towering majesty of the Swiss
Alps and the St. Gotthard mountain on your way to picture-book
Lucerne. On arrival, enjoy a walking tour to admire Thorwaldsen’s
LION MONUMENT and the ornate patrician houses lining the cobbled
streets of the walled Old Town, then cross the famous covered
CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit Church. Why not sign up for a folklore
party with yodeling and alphorn blowing for a first-hand impression
of Alpine merrymaking? (B)
Day 10 Lucerne-Montreux. Morning at leisure.
You may wish to shop for Swiss watches or join an exciting optional
excursion to the top of a mountain. In the afternoon, a smooth
drive brings you to Lake Geneva and Montreux of festival fame.
Take pictures of the Festival Hall. (B,D)
Day 11 Montreux-Lausanne-Paris, France. A short
drive to Lausanne, home to the International Olympic Committee,
where you board the high-speed “TGV” train to Paris. On arrival,
sightseeing with a Local Guide features the most famous sights:
the Opéra, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, Notre Dame Cathedral,
and more. For a bird’s eye view, take the elevator to the second
floor of Paris’ most famous landmark, the EIFFEL TOWER. (B,D)
Day 12 At Leisure in Paris. Another day to enjoy
what this extraordinary metropolis has to offer. Explore the world
capital of chic and style at your own pace. Shop for perfume and
fancy fashion accessories, take your pick from many fine museums
or stroll through the magnificent parks. Optional excursions are
available to the Louvre Museum and the lavish baroque Palace of
Versailles. (B)
Day 13 Paris. Your homebound flight arrives the
same day. (B)
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