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Classical Germany: The Music of Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden

Program Number: 20792RJ
Start and End Dates:
6/12/2013 - 6/24/2013; 9/19/2013 - 10/1/2013; 10/22/2013 - 11/3/2013; 4/30/2014 - 5/12/2014; 6/11/2014 - 6/23/2014; 9/12/2014 - 9/24/2014; 10/22/2014 - 11/3/2014;
Duration: 12 nights
Location: Germany
Price starting at: $3,699.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Music Appreciation; Opera
Meals: 24; 11 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 6 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian; Low Fat; Low Salt; Gluten Free    

Immerse yourself in the unparalleled musical heritage of Germany, home of brilliant composers and stunning temples to art and acoustics. In the culturally rich metropolis of Berlin and the musical hotbeds of Leipzig and Dresden, attend concerts, chat with musicians, discover historic music halls and follow your personal interests in your independent exploration.




Highlights

• Attend four musical performances at notable venues in Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden and enjoy special opportunities to meet with musicians.
• Lively presentations illuminate the lives of German composers including Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelssohn, Carl Maria von Weber and Richard Wagner.
• Plenty of free time allows you to explore independently and attend additional performances — your group leader will offer advice and directions.



Activity Particulars

Walking on downtown city streets with cobblestones; use of public transportation; unavoidable stairs.




Date Specific Information

6-12-2013, 9-19-2013, 10-22-2013, 4-30-2014, 6-11-2014, 9-12-2014, 10-22-2014

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.



Itinerary Summary

Arrival Berlin, 5 nights; coach to Leipzig, 3 nights; coach to Dresden, 3 nights; departure.



Overnight flight from the U.S.A.
1 night
Arrival Berlin
5 nights

Board a boat on the Spree River for a field trip to Berlin Mitte, the historic core of the city, then visit the Reichstag building. Discover the iconic Berliner Philharmonie concert hall and the Berlin Musical Instrument Museum. Meet and talk with a member of one of Berlin’s renowned orchestras. Attend a concert or opera performance.



Coach to Leipzig
3 nights

Journey out of Berlin to Potsdam and step inside Sanssouci, the spectacular summer palace of Frederick the Great. Continue to Leipzig, a historic city that boasts associations with Bach, Mahler, Mendelssohn and Wagner. Explore the Thomaskirche, where Bach was a cantor, the Gewandhaus concert hall and Oper Leipzig. Attend a musical performance.



Coach to Dresden
3 nights
Departure

Step into the Grunes Gewolbe, an incredible treasure vault that was severely damaged during World War II but reopened in 2006. Meet musicians of the Staatskapelle opera at their magnificent home, the Semperoper. Discover the villas of Loschwitz and lovely Pillnitz Castle on the River Elbe. Visit the Kreuzkirche, home of a legendary boys’ choir with a 700-year history. Attend two musical performances.




Germany

From warring tribes who put an end to the declining Roman Empire to Charlemagne’s unified Holy Roman Empire; religious divisions ignited by Martin Luther’s 95 theses in Wittenburg to the nation-making force of Otto von Bismarck -- alternating unity and division are the hallmarks of German history. In 1961, a concrete wall divided Germany the world. With the Berlin Wall’s fall in 1989, Germany showed the way for the new, embracing Europe of today.
Accommodations
Berlin: Comfortable hotel at the energetic Potsdamer Platz. Leipzig: Centrally located hotel showcasing original contemporary art. Dresden: Art-inspired hotel in the heart of Dresden.
Meals and Lodgings
   Hotel BelAhr
  Berlin, Germany 5 nights
   Art ‘Otel Leipzig City Center
  Leipzig, Germany 3 nights
   Art 'Otel Dresden, by Park Plaza
  Dresden, Germany 3 nights
 Hotel BelAhr
Type: Three-Star Hotel
  Description: Located in the heart of the Berlin, the Hotel BelAhr is only a 5-minute walk from the Potsdamer Platz subway station, which allows easy access to Berlin Mitte and major landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Holocaust Memorial, and Gemäldegallerie.
  Contact info: Stresemannstraße 97
Berlin,  10963 Germany
phone: +49 30-200049-0
web: www.belahr.de
  Room amenities: Each room has a telephone, satellite TV, radio, mini bar, free wireless Internet, soundproof windows, and a hair dryer.
  Facility amenities: The hotel offers a restaurant, 24-hour reception, safe box at the front desk, laundry services and facilities (washing machines and dryers), and free wireless Internet.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: N/A Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services if you would like assistance making hotel reservations for additional non-program nights. (800) 241-1404.
  Check in time: 2:00 PM

 Art ‘Otel Leipzig City Center
Type: Four-Star Hotel
  Description: The Art 'Otel Leipzig City Center is situated a 10-minute walk from Leipzig's ring road, which encircles the old town and major landmarks such as the Gewandhaus concert hall and Opera House. There is a tram stop in front of the hotel, by which it is possible to reach the historical center by tram in just a few minutes. Art 'Otel exhibits works of contemporary painters turning the lobby, lounge and rooms into a veritable art gallery.
  Contact info: Eutritzscherstrasse 15
Leipzig,  04105 Germany
phone: +49 341 303 84 0
web: www.artotel-leipzig.com
  Room amenities: Each room has a telephone, satellite TV, air conditioning, hair dryer, writing desk, safe, and mini bar.
  Facility amenities: The hotel offers a restaurant, bar, wireless Internet throughout the hotel (for a fee), and laundry service.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes

 Art 'Otel Dresden, by Park Plaza
Type: Boutique Hotel
  Description: Located in Dresden's historical city center, Art 'Otel Dresden is within walking distance of the Semper Oper, Zwinger and Altmarkt. It is one tram stop to the very center of Dresden. This art-inspired hotel is decorated with artworks by A. R. Penck, a renowned local painter and sculptor.
  Contact info: Ostra-allee 33
Dresden,  01067 Germany
phone: +49 35149220
web: www.artotels.com
  Room amenities: Each room has a telephone, satellite TV, air conditioning, free wireless Internet, writing desk, mini bar, safe, and hair dryer.
  Facility amenities: The hotel offers a restaurant, bar, lounge, 24-hour reception, free wireless Internet, laundry facilities, and a fitness area with sauna.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights after: N/A Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services if you would like assistance making hotel reservations for additional non-program nights. (800) 241-1404
  Check out time: 11:00 AM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Berlin, Germany. 4:00 PM in hotel lobby. You will be staying at Hotel BelAhr that night.
  End of Program:
Dresden, Germany. After breakfast on the last day. You will be staying at Art 'Otel Dresden, by Park Plaza the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
N/A
Transportation (For Independent Travelers)
  Train or bus availability: Take bus TXL to the main station. Change to bus 41, and get off at the 3rd stop (Abgeordnetenhaus) where the hotel is.
To Start of Program
  Location:  In Transit
  Transportation to site: Take a taxi from the airport to the hotel. It costs approx. 30 Euro, and takes about 30 minutes. Alternatively, take express bus S-Bhf Sudkreuz in the direction of SXF1, and get off at the S-Bhf Sudkreuz stop (20 minutes). Take the S-Bahn in the direction of S2, to Bernau (4 minutes). Get off at the Anhalter Bahnof stop, and turn right into Schonebergerstrasse. Turn left into the next street, Stresemannstrasse. Your hotel is a 5-minute walk down this street. This costs about 5 Euros.
  From End of Program
  Location: In Transit
  Transportation from site: Take a taxi from the hotel to the airport. It costs approx. 20 Euros and takes about 20 minutes. Alternatively, take the S-Bahn bus at the hotel. It costs approx. 2.5 Euros and takes about 20 minutes.
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: In Transit
(Thursday, September 19)
   
 In Transit: Depart US/Canada on international overnight flight.

Day 2: Introduction and Orientation
(Friday, September 20)
   
 Afternoon: Arrival. Introduction to the program and orientation. Orientation walk in the area up to the Holocaust Memorial with the Field of Steles, Brandenburg Gate - which marks the very center of Berlin, and famous Unter den Linden Boulevard. With longer distances we use public transport such as subway and S-Bahn.
 Dinner: Dinner at the hotel restaurant.
   
Accommodations: Hotel BelAhr
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 3: Berlin - Old and New Capital
(Saturday, September 21)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Guided field trip by boat to Berlin Mitte, the district of the most important landmarks of the German capital. On the Spree River, we pass Museum Island with the major museums; the Berlin Cathedral, once part of the destroyed Prussian Imperial Castle on the Schlossplatz, the topographical center of the capital; the government quarter with the German Parliament, the Reichstag; Schloss Bellevue, today the Berlin home of the Federal President.
 Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Enjoy a few hours of free time to relax or visit some of the sites close to the hotel. Then hear a lecture on "The History of Germany and its Capital." Follow history from the creation of one German state out of a loose league of sovereign duchies and kingdoms in the late 19th century to the recent reunification.
 Dinner: Dinner at the hotel restaurant.
 Evening: Attend a concert or an opera performance.
   
Accommodations: Hotel BelAhr
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Berlin - Capital of Classical Music
(Sunday, September 22)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Guided field trip to the Berlin Philharmonic Concert Hall. Wildly controversial at first, its unique architecture and acoustics has become a model for many other concert halls all over the world. Continue the morning with a visit to the Museum of Music Instruments, which contains a collection of over 3,500 musical instruments from the 16th century onward. It is one of the largest and most representative musical instrument collections in Germany. The collection includes the precious flute collection of Prussian king Frederick the Great and the original harpsichord from Sanssouci Castle's music room. Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach played this harpsichord while serving the king for 26 years.
 Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Lecture: "Berlin - The Capital of Music." With the Philharmonic Orchestra and the excellent Symphonic Orchestra, the Staatskapelle and State Opera, the Kammer and Rundfunksymphonie Orchestra, the German capital certainly occupies the world’s highest ranks when it comes to classical music and opera. This lecture introduces the world of music and “who's who” in this attractive center of classical music.
 Dinner: Explore local fare on your own.
 Evening: Free time to attend a concert or opera on your own.
   
Accommodations: Hotel BelAhr
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Behind the Scenes Music
(Monday, September 23)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Go behind the scenes of Berlin music institutions. You will have the opportunity to meet and talk with a member of one of the famous Berlin Orchestras. Then enjoy a guided visit of the central district of Berlin Mitte passing the Konzerthaus on Gendarmenmarkt in the direction of Museum Island.
 Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Free time to explore Berlin on your own.
 Dinner: Explore local fare on your own.
 Evening: Attend a concert or an opera performance.
   
Accommodations: Hotel BelAhr
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6: Self-Guided Excursions
(Tuesday, September 24)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Take advantage of an entire day to explore Berlin at your own pace. You may wish to wander to Museum Island, explore the area around Alexanderplatz with Nikolaiviertel and the DDR Museum, or visit the Jewish Museum, a phenomenal building designed by Daniel Libeskind.
 Lunch: Explore local fare on your own.
 Afternoon: Continue your self-guided exploration.
 Dinner: Explore local fare on your own.
 Evening: Meet your group for a drink and share the stories of your day.
   
Accommodations: Hotel BelAhr
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 7: Potsdam / Transfer to Leipzig
(Wednesday, September 25)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Transfer by bus to Leipzig. En route, we visit Potsdam, a World Heritage Site since 1990 and undoubtedly one of Germany's most beautiful cities. It is surrounded by a string of lakes and the Havel River. Guided visit to Sanssouci Castle, summer residence of Prussian King Frederick the Great, which is situated on a beautiful terraced hill overlooking the town of Potsdam. It is a huge complex of garden landscapes and palaces. Sanssouci Palace itself is considered the major work of Rococo architecture in Germany.
 Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Late afternoon arrival in Leipzig. Time to settle in. Orientation walk.
 Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.
   
Accommodations: Art ‘Otel Leipzig City Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Leipzig Music History / Thomas Church
(Thursday, September 26)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Lecture: "Leipzig and Dresden - Cradles of Great Music." Both cities of roughly 500,000 inhabitants only, Leipzig and Dresden are associated with many famous composers from the 17th century onward. These composers include Heinrich Schütz, Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelssohn, Robert and Clara Schumann, Carl Maria von Weber, Richard Wagner. Both cities pride themselves on their world famous concert halls and great orchestras and choirs. The Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Gewandhaus concert hall have cultivated classical music in Leipzig for over 250 years, while the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra and the Sächsische Staatskapelle both perform at the famous Semper Opera House. Both the history of St. Thomas's Boys Choir and the Dresdner Kreuzchor span almost over eight hundred years. This lecture introduces the music history and life in these Saxon cities.
 Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Field trip to the Thomaskirche. The St. Thomas Church is the place where Johann Sebastian Bach worked as a cantor and where his remains currently lie. Take a few hours to explore the old town on your own.
 Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.
 Evening: Attend a concert or an opera performance.
   
Accommodations: Art ‘Otel Leipzig City Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Leipzig Opera
(Friday, September 27)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Excursion to the Opera House. Learn about the history of the two leading music halls, Gewandhaus and Leipzig Opera. Participate in a discussion with a musician from the Gewandhaus Orchestra.
 Lunch: Explore local fare on your own.
 Afternoon: Free time in Leipzig to spend as you wish.
 Dinner: Explore local fare on your own.
 Evening: Free evening to attend a concert or an opera on your own.
   
Accommodations: Art ‘Otel Leipzig City Center
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 10: Transfer to Dresden
(Saturday, September 28)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Transfer to Dresden. Upon arrival, start with a guided field trip of the old town and to the “Green Vault,” one of Europe's finest treasure collections reopened only recently after 68 years. It was amassed by Augustus the Strong, the 18th-century Prince of Saxony.
 Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Guided visit of the Dresden Semper Opera, where we will also meet musicians of the Staatskapelle and have a talk with them.
 Dinner: Dinner at the hotel restaurant.
 Evening: Attend a concert or an opera.
   
Accommodations: Art 'Otel Dresden, by Park Plaza
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11: Richard Wagner / Pillnitz Castle
(Sunday, September 29)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Lecture: Learn about composer Richard Wagner who spent his childhood in Dresden and studied music in Leipzig and Dresden. After the performances of his operas "Rienzi" and "The Flying Dutchman" in Dresden, he was appointed as the Royal Saxon music director of the court orchestra for life. Field trip: Bus excursion to Loschwitz, Dresden’s Villa quarter.
 Lunch: Lunch at Loschwitz Cafe with marvelous views of Dresden the unique Elbe River landscape.
 Afternoon: Field trip by private bus to the Richard Wagner Museum in Graupa, which recently opened with the 200th anniversary of the birth of the composer. Pay a short visit to Pillnitz Castle, summer residence of August the Strong. The grand castle and park grounds directly situated on the banks of the Elbe River are considered a perfect example of the chinoise style, an amalgamate of the architecture of the Far East and the Baroque.
 Dinner: Explore local fare on your own.
   
Accommodations: Art 'Otel Dresden, by Park Plaza
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 12: Dresden Kreuz Church Choir
(Monday, September 30)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Field trip to the Kreuzkirche and its Choir, which is over 700 years old.
 Lunch: Explore local fare on your own.
 Afternoon: Free time to explore Dresden. Then meet your group for a late afternoon concert.
 Dinner: Farewell Dinner at Alte Meister.
   
Accommodations: Art 'Otel Dresden, by Park Plaza
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 13: Departures.
(Tuesday, October 1)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Transfer to the airport for departures.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast

Free Time Opportunities
  
  Berlin Charlottenburg Palace
Charlottenburg Palace is the largest palace of the Hohenzollurn dynasty in Berlin. It was originally built in 1699 by Elector Friedrich III as a summer residence for his wife Sophie Charlotte, and was later expanded into a stately building with an eastern wing, palace theater and a cours d'honneur. Majestic rooms, saloons and art collections are available to the public, along with the baroque garden that surrounds this shining example of baroque architecture. For additional information, visit www.spsg.de
  Dresden Carl-Maria-von-Weber Museum
This museum is housed in Carl Maria von Weber's erstwhile summer home, which he frequented from 1786 to 1826. It was at this picturesque estate that he wrote many of his operas, among them "Der Freischütz," "Euryanthe" and "Oberon." Today, pictures, texts and other artifacts related to his achievements and works are on view in the former living and working rooms. For additional information, visit www.stmd.de
  Leipzig Bach Museum
The Bach Museum, operated by the Bach Archive, is dedicated to the life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach; the great composer and long-term musical director of Leipzig. For additional information, visit www.bach-leipzig.de
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


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Fodor's Berlin's 25 Best


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Johann Sebastian Bach, The Learned Musician


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Lonely Planet German Phrasebook


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Slaughterhouse-Five: or The Children's Crusade


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The Berlin Diaries


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The Ghosts of Berlin: Confronting German History in the Urban landscape


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The Lives of the Great Composers


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The Magic Lantern, The Revolution of '89 Witnessed in Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin, and Prague


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The Tin Drum


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The Triumph of Music, The Rise of Composers, Musicians and Their Art


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