Sunday 4th December
Steam at the Lössnitz Railway, Dresden Christmas Market; Arrival to Görlitz
After breakfast you join a DB service train to Radebeul and visit the famed Radebeul to Radeburg steam railway. You’ll travel the full length of the line, passing through terraced vineyards and tranquil ponds, steaming beyond the famed Moritzburg Castle to Radeburg. After returning to Radebeul, you continue by service train to Dresden for a visit to the city’s famous Christmas Market. You’ll have free time to look around Dresden’s enchanting old town before taking a service train to the beautiful city of Görlitz. Located right on the Polish border and known as “Görliwood”, due to it being the site of many major film productions, Görlitz boast stunning historic architecture. You stay at an elegant 4-star hotel near the station for the rest of the tour and enjoy a welcome dinner on arrival. (B D) Monday 5th December
Steam at the Muskau Forest Railway and Pückler Park Visit; Trams and Culture in Görlitz
Today an exciting private steam charter trip awaits you on the 600mm gauge Muskau Forest Railway, covering the two scenic branch lines from Weisswasser to Bad Muskau and Kromlau. Your steam special then arrives at the spa town of Bad Muskau, with its charming local chateau and the enchanting UNESCO World Heritage Pückler Park, a beautiful 19th century English landscape garden spanning both sides of the German-Polish border. There’ll be time to enjoy the chateau and gardens and also stroll across the River Neisse to Poland. Light refreshments will be provided on the train. You return back to Görlitz to visit the local Christmas Market or ride the Tarta vehicles on the local tram network using your complimentary rover ticket. Dinner will be served at your hotel. (B L D) Tuesday 6th December
Main line steam in the Giant Mountains of North Bohemia
After breakfast you take a service train from Görlitz via Zittau to Liberec in the Czech Republic. This train journey is scenic and exciting, as the tracks pass through Poland no less than three times, traversing some stunning river viaducts. After arrival in Liberec, referred to as “Czech Innsbruck” you board your private charter steam train for an enchanting journey through the rural landscape of the Giant Mountains. Highlights along the way to Tanvald, include the curved stone-arched viaduct
at Smrzovka. Your train will be hauled by the rugged 0-6-0 tank engine 310.0134 dating from 1913. After your steam-hauled roundtrip there is time to visit the town centre of Liberec, with its landmark city hall, modelled after the Rathaus in Vienna. In the late afternoon you return back to Görlitz for dinner at the hotel. (B L D) Wednesday 7th December
Tour Summary First Class
£2145
Standard Class
£1965
Steam and natural splendour in Zittau
Single supplement £245
Another narrow-gauge highlight awaits today on the Zittau steam railway in Saxony, in the south eastern corner of Germany along the frontier with Poland and the Czech Republic. From Zittau the 12.2 km branch line proceeds to the resort town of Kurort Oybin, sited among picturesque hills and impressive rock formations. Enjoy a steeply graded, 3.8 km long stub from the junction station of Bertsdorf to Kurort Jonsdorf. After traveling over the entire Zittau network behind an impressive 2-10-2 tank engine, you have time to visit the Old Town of Zittau. Here you travel by service train over the scenic main line passing through Poland on its return to Gorlitz. Dinner is once again in the hotel restaurant. (B L D)
Ground only £1795 (Leipzig – Gorlitz)
Thursday 8th December
Polish main line steam around Wroclaw; city sightseeing and Christmas Market
Today’s programme adds an international flavour to your holiday. First you take a Polish service train From Görlitz/Zgorzelec on the newly electrified main line to Wroclaw Glowny. There a private steam charter awaits you, hauled by a historic 0-6-0 tank engine. The unique spectacle of a small engine running on the main line with four-wheeled coaches provides excitement, as you cross over the River Odra and view the city’s spires from your compartment window. After refreshments back at Glowny station, you take a privately chartered tram for a sightseeing tour of the city, travelling over the landmark bridges and little river islands for which Wroclaw is known as the ‘Venice of Poland’. The tram tour concludes near the main market square, where you can then sample the local Christmas Market. You return to Görlitz by service train and enjoy a farewell dinner with your fellow travellers. (B D)
Price includes: • 8 nights’ accommodation with breakfast at 4-star Hotels in Leipzig and Gorlitz • 4 lunches and 7 dinners • First or Standard Class travel from London St Pancras to Leipzig and from Gorlitz to London • All seat reservations and transfers • Private charters as detailed in the itinerary • 3 day rover ticket • The services of a tour manager All prices shown are per person based on two persons sharing. Meals included each day are shown as: B = Breakfast - L = Lunch - D = Dinner December 2022 Mon
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Friday 9th December Return to London
You return to London from Görlitz via Dresden Neustadt by rail, westward to Cologne and Brussel. (B)
EUROPE TOUR – 9 Days
17
