History of WWII Germany Tour

Berchtesgaden during summer in Germany

What to expect on this itinerary

Discover the resounding effects of contemporary history during this 10-day World War II Germany Tour. Trace the rise of the Nazi Party to the fall of the Berlin Wall with specialist guides who inform how the Cold War is indelibly linked to the Second World War. From Berlin to Potsdam and Nuremberg to Munich, witness small monuments that represent powerful actions and once-grand structures that have been reduced to rubble. Whether learning about the Beer Hall Putsch or rejuvenating with a day in Salzburg, this historically based Germany tour will allow you to see first-hand the impact of World War II and the Cold War.

Countries Visited

Austria, Germany

Places Visited

Berlin, Potsdam, Nuremberg, Munich, Berchtesgaden, Salzburg, Hallstatt

Suggested Duration

10 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Berlin - Arrive in Berlin with an Introductory Tour

Berlin is a dynamic city that mesmerizes visitors with glamour, vibrant culture, edgy art, and tangible history. Your private transfer will meet you upon your arrival at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. You will start at the iconic Brandenburg Gate. When you reach the Reichstag Building, you will find a structure that was burned, bombed, and braced by the Berlin Wall before becoming the home of German parliament. You have the option of continuing to the Alexanderplatz TV Tower to ride the express elevator to the rotating platform for a panorama of Berlin. For dinner, you can dine at a trendy restaurant in a historic Jewish Girls School decorated in style from the 1920s and 1930s but serving modernized, regional cuisine.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Tour
Day 2

Berlin - Discover Berlin’s World War and Cold War History

Day 3

Berlin - Explore Jewish Life and Historical Museums

Day 4

Berlin - Traverse Potsdam and the Bridge of Spies

Day 5

Nuremberg - Uncover the Distinctive History of Nuremberg

Day 6

Munich - Trace Munich’s Medieval, Baroque, and Contemporary Past

Day 7

Munich - Tour Munich’s Layered History and Culture

Day 8

Berchtesgaden - Find Alpine Charm and the Eagle’s Nest

Day 9

Berchtesgaden - Embrace Charming Salzburg and Hallstatt

Day 10

Berchtesgaden - Depart for Home

Trip Highlights

  • Trace the rise and fall of the Third Reich in Berlin on a tour with a specialist guide who knows the hidden monuments, history, and local lore of Berlin under the Nazi regime
  • Visit the sobering grounds of the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site for insight into the complex, its purpose, and its true purpose on a tour led by a specifically licensed guide
  • Discover a new perspective of Cold War history when you enter the escape tunnels that once paralleled the Berlin Wall, where East Berliners tried to flee the Communist regime
  • Juxtapose the immense beauty of the view from the Eagle’s Nest outside of Berchtesgaden, which was the home of Adolf Hitler during his time as Fuhrer
  • Follow the timeline of the Nazi Party’s rise to power in Munich, which is captured in the Fledherrnhalle monument’s storied history and its neighboring alley
  • Witness Glienicke Bridge, the famous Bridge of Spies where Russian and American governments exchanged spies
  • Enter the working courtroom that held the Nuremberg Trials before visiting the War Trials Museum in the Palace of Justice’s upper floor
  • Delight in the charming ambiance of Salzburg with a self-guided tour at your preferred pace to find the history of Mozart and the true story of the Sound of Music
  • Interact with the Holocaust Memorial Monument in Berlin before following the timeline of the Nazi Party’s rise to power in an authentic World War II bunker at the Berlin Story Bunker

Starting Price

$9,800 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What’s Included:

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 47 reviews

Travel Review: Luxury Tour of Germany & Austria, Salzburg, Munich, Berchtesgaden, Oberammergau, Dachau, Eagle's Nest & WWII Sites

Our travel agency set up the perfect trip!  My wife and I were coming to Germany to attend Oktoberfest and pick up her new BMW (through European delivery).  We were set up with these travel agent and they set up a perfect itinerary.  We spent 2 nights each in Munich, Oberammergau, and Berchtesgaden.  We also had a day trip to Salzburg since it is so close to Berchtesgaden.  At Oktoberfest, we were drinking Mass Biers and dancing on table our travel company set us up vouchers for  Mass Biers, a large appetizer tray, and large meals included).  We also had a private tour of Dachau and Munich by our guide who I cannot say enough about.  Extremely knowledgeable and personable, she was like a walking encyclopedia about the history and culture.  While in Bertchtesgaden, we had a private tour of Eagle's nest and WWII sites.  His knowledge of the history there is unparalleled and it was interesting to hear some of his own research and theories in WWII history at the sites.  During our day trip to Salzburg, it rained but my wife was happy to shop!  In Oberammergau (which we loved), we had tour of Linderhof palace, as well as, private tour of Neuschwanstein castle before the public is even allowed inside!  There was so much more!  Our travel company had everything set up, called us everyday on a phone they provided, and when the weather didn't cooperate they rearranged things to make it all work out.  Lastly, they even made restaurant recommendations everynight for us and made reservations for us.  We would of never have found these restaurants on our own.  We cannot thank them enough!

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Travel Review: Family Tour of Austria & Germany, Muchin, Salzburg, Berchtesgaden, Rhine, Eagle's Nest Tour, Biking

We returned from our trip to Germany about a week ago and are still talking about the wonderful sights and adventures we shared as a family during those 9 days.  From start to finish, our travel agents and the whole team were a delight to work with.  They used a detailed questionnaire to assess our family's interests and activity level and refined their first itinerary plan as they got to know us and incorporated our ideas.  Each hotel they reserved for us was 4-5 star with exceptional service and amenities.  Each guide was friendly, helpful and very knowledgable.  We truly enjoyed our time with our guides!  Each showed us the true flavor of each city/attraction/site and were friendly and patient with our questions.  They had wonderful recommendations and lots of historical knowledge and insight.  They added to our time in München and Berchtesgaden immeasurably. Thank you for arranging our time with each of them.  In addition, our travel company gave us an amazing hard-bound volume with all of our itinerary options, reservations numbers, directions, brochures and contact info.  Along with the German iPhone, these resources made our self-directed travels much easier to navigate and more enjoyable.  We loved being about to drive a car throughout Bayern and beyond on our own and are proud to have "survived" both the autobahn and the narrow winding roads of Austria and everything in between.  The restaurant recommendations were all high-quality and while we did free-lance on our own too, it was nice to get some ideas from experts.  The team at our travel company checked in with us daily (via phone or text) and were always available if we had questions.  We highly recommend them as a travel company and hope to make use of their services again.

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Luxury Germany Travel Review: Berlin, Bauhaus-Siedlun, Muenster, Ruhr, Zollverein in Essen, Mosel Valley, Wine Tour, Bike Tour
My family (wife, sons of 18 and 21, and one friend) has recently returned from a 10-day trip to Germany planned by this Germany travel company. We have some family connections to Germany and aimed to learn something about contemporary Germany, as well as take in some traditional sites and enjoy. I put together the outline of our tour and turned to these Germany travel specialists to refine the basic ideas and fill in the details. They are a small outfit, led with great spirit by Martin. I chose this Germany tour company because Martin is German and based in Germany (but is totally bilingual in English), and I thought he had a good combination of local knowledge and an enterprising attitude. I worked with Martin directly to make plans, who put a lot of effort into creating a tour that exceeded my expectations and was most rewarding and enjoyable. In summary, our plan was (1) to assemble our clan who were arriving from the US and Japan in Berlin and to get acclimatized and to know the city, (2) visit Muenster to see a fine old university town and also to learn how this city became a leader in seeking environmental sustainability, (3) visit the Ruhr area to get a sense of Germany’s industrial history and how it has adapted to economic change, and (4) visit the Mosel valley to have some fine food and wine, do some bike touring and enjoy the sights. Martin did a fabulous job making this work. Among the things he delivered were: - Excellent planning materials, including a detailed itinerary, maps, a local iPhone with all the data. - He found great accommodations and restaurants, like a superb apartment for us in Berlin, cozy country inns, and a luxury castle stay for the finale (not to speak of the hide-away restaurant in an abandoned factory in Berlin and fine lunch at an art deco hotel in Traben-Trarbach). - He arranged excellent guides: history and architecture guides in Berlin, a town official to show us Muenster’s environmental efforts, and even the head of a local trade school since my boys were interested in the exemplary system of Berufschule in Germany. - Although he is probably less of a bicycle rider than I am, Martin found really fun bike routes along the Mosel and into the hills above, with opportunities for those less nutty about riding to bail out. Martin manned our Angel Car and was there when needed. - Martin and his wife were available at all times to deal with the hiccups: they got my wife to a doctor to deal with a sinus infection and we were rescued when one bicycle unexpectedly failed. We were in touch several times a day by phone and text, and were grateful for the attentiveness. - Martin generously spent quite a bit of time with us, especially during his Angel Car duties. We all really enjoyed getting to know him, we learned a great deal about Germany from him, we had good fun together, and he really became a member of the family. I am sure the boys will not forget the evening when someone suggested that after a fine dinner a cigar might be nice -- and Martin turned up with a box of Cuban delights and they had an evening of stogies, cognac and stories. All in all, we had a great experience, which Martin and team contributed greatly to through good planning, real local knowledge and excellent service. The tour I was looking for was unconventional, but Martin understood our aims, gave great guidance, and was very enterprising about making arrangements. He got it. I recommend this Germany travel company without reservation, especially if you want to try something original. On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, 6.

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Travel Review: Romantic Tour of Germany & Austria, Munich, Rothemburg, Salzburg, Hallstat, Rhine Valley, Sound of Music Tour

My husband and I took a trip to Germany and Austria at the end of May.  We couldn't have asked for a better experience!  It was more than we could have ever dreamed  of, and our travel agency made that happen.  You can't get any better than booking through a company who LIVES in the country you are visiting.  From Day One, we worked with our agent who was extremely patient with me, answering my MANY questions over several months, always answering my e-mails within 24 hours.  With being a trip of a lifetime for us, she knew how important it was to make this trip everything we envisioned it would be.  We were looking for a romantic trip for the two of us..looking at it as our last "big" trip before starting a family.  She created the perfect itinerary, based on the type of trip we were looking for, including areas that were a "must see" for us, and throwing in recommendations as she saw fit.  She even asked what pace we wanted the trip to be at, and how much we wanted to include each day.  There is NO way we would have had the same experience with booking on our own.  She was able to tell me what would or would not work best.  During the last few weeks, another agent assisted us with some last minute changes and questions and again, was incredibly sweet and would always respond immediately.  Everything was taken care of for us beforehand, including hotel bookings, car rental, tour tickets, dinner reservations in the bigger cities, and more.  All we had to do was show up!  The binder we received upon arrival broke everything down by day-to-day schedules, accommodations, tours, etc. even down to the best gelato shop in town!  There were restaurant suggestions for lunch and dinner in every town (even the ones that were just an option to drive through), based on the type of food that we like/wanted to experience.  We ended up sticking to their list for the most part, because we were not once disappointed and they of course knew best!  Every single map was labeled and we had every piece of information we could possibly need.  It was so fun to follow along each day, and to look ahead for the next.  We were even given a German cell phone with full access to internet, and several apps that were useful throughout the trip.  Upon our arrival to Germany, our driver met us at the airport with a smile on his face, escorting us to our brand new Audi A6, stocked with a cooler of sodas/waters which was refreshing after a long flight.  He drove us to our first cruise along the Romantic Rhine Valley, and then to our first hotel.  It was so nice speaking with him on the first day, as we were able to ask any important questions needed before being on our own, in a different country, for two weeks (we requested to plan the majority of our trip, as a self-guided trip).  He was very professional and we had such a great time with him!  You could tell that he really cared to know everything about us before our meet.  He was already familiar with who we were, why we decided to take this trip, and so on.  And then the Hotels....we were in AWE of every single hotel on our trip  Pure luxury at it's finest...we felt like royalty and that we were in a dream.  Each hotel we felt that it just couldn't get any better, and then were proven wrong at the next.  You can tell that each hotel is chosen carefully, and chosen for a specific reason..and we did not have to do any of the work researching them ourselves!  They were very much our style, with a nice mix of historic/castle/modern.  There is no way to explain the beauty and hospitality, without experiencing yourself.  And then there was our personal travel concierge who was sure to check in with us each day, whether it was via text or phone call.  We cannot say enough about her and she was able to throw in fun ideas for us, and answer any questions along the way.  If our itinerary adjusted at all, or if I needed help with ANYTHING, she was there to reach out to and always responded right away.  After only a couple days I would look forward to her checking in because she was so fun to chat with, and felt like a friend we had known for quite some time.  I honestly thought going into this that once we were there, we'd be fine exploring on our own..but knowing that she was there when we needed her, was SO comforting, and am very happy that we had that option. My husband, Seth, joked around with me, asking what I would do after our trip, with not talking with her each day :) Both Germany and Austria were just breathtaking.  I would live there in a heartbeat.  You cannot beat driving through the windy, gorgeous countryside roads, with the Bavarian Alps / Austrian Alps in front of you, and my husband was thrilled to drive on the Autobahn! Radlers and pretzels became our new favorite afternoon snack!  The small towns with cobblestone streets are right up my alley and so beautiful.  We have checked so many things from each town off of our bucket list (including the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg!) Our last day in Munich, we met with our guide for a half day tour (which we almost passed on, but our agent highly suggested doing at least a half day).  We took her advice and are so happy that we did.  We learned and SAW so much more than we would have on our own, especially in the short amount of time that we were there in the city.  She was very knowledgeable and was sure to focus in on our interests.  She, also, did her research and knew all about myself and Seth upon arrival.  Our concierge had told her about Seth's love of Dachshunds and she even had the perfect little shop for us to attend, because of it.  She knew the year we were married, what this trip was about...the fact that I do not eat a lot of meat, and more.  It was very impressive and showed that she really cares and ENJOYS what she does!  Overall, I could clearly go on for pages about our trip and our experience with this company.  I give them 5 GOLD stars, and would recommend them to anyone and everyone.  I have been talking nonstop about them since I have been home and my sister's plan is to use my same itinerary with them in the future!! I only wish they covered other countries, as I would use them for every single trip we ever plan! (I know they cover Switzerland as well, but I have been there).  I am so thankful for Zicasso too, who brought me to them, and will most definitely be using this site in the future for our next trip.  I now know that I can completely trust their agencies.  THANK YOU a million times over, to everyone who made this trip so very special for us.  It was most definitely the trip of a lifetime, that will never be forgotten.  I can only hope that this review helps anyone still in question.  Worth EVERY single penny.  You cannot beat the hospitality that we received.  We can't wait to do it again someday :) 

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Travel Review: Tour of Germany & Austria, Munich, Salzburg, Rothenburg, Oberammergau, Linderhof Palace, Neuschwanstein Castle

We found this company through Zicasso.  We were contacted by our travel agent within couple of days.  We exchanged communications both via email and phone call for the next several weeks.  Our trip were to three cities in Germany and Austria and we wanted to splurge a little.  A few weeks before hand, we were given a day to day itinerary.  She gave us options for lunch and dinner each day as well as suggestions and options on the tours each day that we did not have a tour guide.  We travel to Munich, Salzburg, Oberammergau and Rothenburg.  

We were pick up when we arrived in Munich.  As we entered our hotel room, our travel agent had already left the package with day to day itinerary,  maps as well as a I-phone for us to use.  All the locations were input in the contact list so that we can easily retrieve time.  Any of the non-guided tours, our agent has given suggestions on where to park.

We had booked a private tour to Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace.  We were surprised that private tour was really a private tour, just my wife and I!!!  It was definitely worth it, no line and the guide answered all our questions and did not rush us along.

The dinner suggestions were fabulous.  Most of them were walking distance to our hotel.  However, if you are not a smoker, you might want to skip Carpe Diem in Salzburg.  They have great food, the restaurant is on the 2nd floor (non-smoking), however, the bar is on the first floor (smoking).  The smoke comes right up the center stairway.  Food is great though. 

All the hotels that we stayed at were wonderful!  We had a room that overlook the Viktualienmarkt in Munich, a corner suite overlooking the river and historic city of Salzburg.  An awesome room in Oberammergau.  And a charming suite in a 800 year old building in Rothenburg where the hotel staff were friendly and attentive.  

We wish we could have make it a 3 week vacation and tour more cities in Germany.  If we ever go back, we will definitely use  this company again.

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Review: Luxury Family Tour of Germany & Austria, Munich, Berlin, Salzburg, Sound of Music Bike Tour, Alpine Slide, Eagle's Nest

Our trip to Germany was fantastic!  We were very well taken care of by this travel agency and their services.  They gave us great suggestions that turned out wonderfully.  Case in point, we were scheduled for a bus tour in Salzburg to check out the sites for the Sound of Music.  Our travel agency suggested that we do the bike tour instead.  That was one of the best things that we did in Germany.  The bike tour allows you to see so much more Sound of Music sites than the bus tour.  We had no way of knowing that, but they took great care of us.  The hotels, the tours were awesome.  The tour guides were very knowledgeable and accommodating for us.  This was one of our best family vacations.  We would recommend this company without reservation.  Don't go to Germany without this travel agency planning your trip!

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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