OCTOBERFEST - THE MONK'S FESTIVAL

Meeting at the airport and flight with AEGEAN AIRLINES to Munich. Arrival in the capital of Bavaria and departure for the green area of ​​Tyrol and specifically to the KALTSCHMIND 4* hotel ( https://www.daskaltschmid.com/de ) in Seefeld. Overnight.

Morning departure for a wonderful route to the most famous ski resort in Austria, Kitzbühel. It is an amphitheatrically built Alpine village with colorful dollhouses of Tyrolean architecture, which surpasses even the most beautiful illustrated fairy tales in its picturesqueness! Free time and departure for Wattens, where we will visit the amazing Swarovski museum - a journey into the magical, wonderful, fairy-tale world of the famous crystals. We will tour the sparkling corridors and the "Halls of Wonders" of a space that combines creativity, innovation, art and fun! And of course, the Crystal World has a huge shop, from where the visitor can purchase some of its unique creations. We will then depart for Innsbruck, where during our lunchtime tour we will see the city's baroque architectural buildings, the squares, the central avenue Maria Theresienstrasse (Maria Theresia), the Golden Roof, the Cathedral of St. James, the Hofburg Palace, the Mausoleum of Maximilian, etc. Free time and return to the hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast and departure for Munich and a walking tour of the historic city center, where among other things we will visit the impressive Marienplatz to see the medieval architecture of the Old Town Hall, as well as the clock of the imposing New Town Hall with its 32 colorful figures moving to the sounds of 43 bells twice a day. Then we will visit the Viktualienmarkt outdoor food market, the Frauenkirche Cathedral, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and we will admire the exterior of the Residenz palace. Free time and return to the hotel. Overnight.

This morning we will depart for Salzburg, the fairy-tale city that was the setting for the legendary film "The Melody of Happiness" and was the birthplace of Mozart. The "Salt Castle", as the exact translation of its name is, experienced great economic growth during Roman times due to the "white gold", that is, mineral salt. Upon arrival, we will begin our tour from Mirabell Palace with its magnificent gardens. After crossing the Salzach River, we will reach Getreidegasse, the main shopping street of the superbly preserved old town (Altstadt). We will walk through the narrow streets to admire the beautiful buildings, churches, as well as the impressive Hohensalzburg Castle, which dominates the hill above the city. Among elegant boutiques and display cases with porcelain dolls is the house where the most important musical genius of all time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), was born and today is a museum with interesting personal and family items. Free time and return to the hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast and departure for Munich, which is celebrating today! The very beginning of Oktoberfest is marked by the great 7 km long parade through the streets of the city that takes place and is known as the "Costume and Riflemen's Parade". The approximately 1,000 participants declare, in this impressive way, that the great festival begins, inviting the entire city to 16 days of frenetic rhythms, endless beer and excellent German delicacies! Participants in traditional costumes, "troops" in historical costumes, marching bands, decorated carriages, flowers and flags, all together create an impressive depiction of the traditional Bavarian countryside. Free time and return to the hotel. Overnight.

Today we will head to the southeastern corner of Germany and visit the luxurious Schloss Herrenchiemsee palace. Built on its own island, the magnificent Chiemsee, to which we will be transported by ferry from Prien. Return in the afternoon to our hotel. Overnight.

Morning departure for a wonderful route in the Bavarian Alps with the initial destination the imposing and majestic Neuschwanstein Castle, which dominates the hill, surrounded by mountains with dense forest and two large lakes. It is the first and most famous of the three castles of the Bavarian king Ludwig II, which was also used as a model for the Sleeping Beauty Castle - Disneyland's trademark. After touring this amazing palace we will depart for the picturesque, fairy-tale village of Oberammergau, world-famous for its painted houses and mainly for the theatrical representation of the Passion of Christ every 10 years - a vow made in 1633, in a last-ditch effort to contain the plague that was sweeping through. Walking, we will see and admire the brightly painted walls, which depict religious themes, representations from the daily life of the countryside and mainly from the world of fairy tales and German legends. Return to the hotel. Overnight.