Old Town Hall, Leipzig

The Splendours of Leipzig & With Harriet Landseer & Guest Lecturer Tom Abbott 18th – 23rd October 2016

The Ultimate Travel Company Escorted Tours

Reichstag, Berlin The Splendours of Leipzig & Berlin With Harriet Landseer & Guest Lecturer Tom Abbott 18th – 23rd October 2016 Contact Emily Pontifex Direct Line 020 7386 4664 Telephone 020 7386 4620 Fax 020 7386 8652 Email [email protected]

Tom Abbott Born in the USA, but resident in Germany since 1988, Tom Abbott obtained a first in Psychology and Art History from Carleton College, Minnesota, with post-graduate studies including French and Art History in and the Attingham Summer School. Since 1996 he has been a freelance art historian with the Foundation of Prussian and Gardens, and has accompanied cultural tours specialising in German art and culture, including music.

Harriet Landseer Harriet lives in Prague (with occasional stints in Ireland and Andalucia) and, having led tours for Specialtours since 1996, now concentrates on Central Europe as her main area of expertise. Fluent in Czech, she is also at ease in German, French and Spanish. She studied History of Art at Yale University.

Detailed Itinerary

Our Journey starts in Wittenberg, historically the seat of the Elector of Saxony, with its charming collection of 16th century houses and a striking market square. It is the city most famously associated with Martin Luther (1483-1546), and is where he lived, preached and nailed his 95 theses against the selling of indulgences to the door of the City Church, sparking the Protestant Reformation. We move on to Leipzig, best known for its historic Trade Fair and multifaceted music and cultural scene centred around its art school and the Spinnerei complex. The historic city centre exudes a distinctive flair with stylish boutiques and top department stores and a unique system of passageways. The city has many musical associations – Telemann, Bach, Mendelssohn, Wagner and the Schumanns all lived and worked here. From here we travel to Berlin via Wörlitz, famed for its magnificent landscape park created during the Age of Enlightenment and the Neo-classical Schloss Wörlitz. We also visit the historic town of for a special guided tour, with Tom Abbott, of 's architectural masterpiece, Schloss .

Over the centuries Berlin has been at the epicentre of European history and culture, with the city boasting some astonishing collections of art, and other treasures along with a remarkable variety of architecture. Since reunification a massive reconstruction and restoration programme has secured this foremost cultural position. We visit the reconstructed galleries on – the , the Pergamonmuseum and the Altes Nationalgalerie which house the Egyptian, Middle-Eastern and Classical antiquities and the European art and sculpture. We also visit the Gemäldegalerie and the , with their fine collections of European masterpieces and . We see architecture new and old at the Reichstag with its inspired dome and at Schloss , a shining example of innovative design, again with a special guided tour by Tom.

Wittenberg Nikolaikirchel, Leipzig

Day 1: Tuesday, 18th October London / Berlin / Wittenberg / Leipzig Morning departure from London Heathrow on a British Airways flight to Berlin Tegel Airport. On arrival drive to Wittenberg.

Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit All Saints’ Church or Schlosskirche (Castle Church) where Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses and St. Mary’s Church or Stadtkirche (City Church) where Luther preached and worshipped, where he was married and his children baptised. The church has a magnificent Reformation altar piece by Lucas Cranach the Elder. Also visit the Lutherhaus where Luther lived with his wife and six children, housed in a former Augustinian monastery, now a museum which maintains Luther's living rooms in their original state. Continue to Leipzig and check in at the Furstenhof Hotel, a patrician dating from 1770 situated in the centre of the city, where two nights are spent. Orientation walk to include the Market Place and the exteriors of the Old Town Hall which is one of the earliest examples of a German Renaissance building completed in 1556, the Market which has several impressive buildings and the former Stock Exchange which is crowned with the city’s coat of arms. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 2: Wednesday, 19th October Leipzig Morning walking tour of Leipzig’s Old Town. Visit the Nikolaikirche which was built in 1165 originally in Romanesque style but has later Gothic additions and a Classical interior and a fine organ played by Johann Sebastian Bach. Continue to the Museum of Fine Arts which, founded in 1837, contains one of Europe’s most important collections of art ranging from the middle ages to the present day housed in a 34-mtre high glass and steel cube-shaped building. Also visit the Thomaskirche where Bach was Cantor from 1727 until his death in 1750. Luther preached here on Whitsunday 1539 and Bach’s tomb was moved here in 1950. The font and altar triptych are from St. Paul’s, the old University Church which was damaged beyond repair during the war. Continue to the Bach Museum which, situated in the house of a former merchant, is dedicated to the life and work of Bach while Cantor, with a display of musical instruments and furniture of Bach’s time. Dating from the 1586 and remodelled in the 18th century, it retains the remarkable entrance hall and powerful dome of the original construction.

Lunch at Zum Coffe Baum. Visit the Grassi Museum of Musical Instruments and the Mendelssohn House, built in 1844 and preserved as the last residence of composer Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Continue to the fun and trendy Spinnerei area to see some artists’ studios. Dinner under own arrangements. Option to attend a concert at the Gewandhaus or an opera performance.

Wörlitz Sanssouci

Day 3: Thursday, 20th October Leipzig / Wörlitz / Potsdam / Berlin Depart Leipzig by coach for Wörlitz. Guided visit of the Neo-classical Palace of Duke Leopold III of Anhalt- Dessau and his wife which has elaborate interior décor. It was constructed between 1769 and 1773 for the newly-married Prince and Princess by the Prince's friend and architect, Friedrich Wilhelm von

Erdmannsdorff. The Palace is surrounded by a fine park, the first and largest of the English-style gardens in Europe strongly influenced by Stourhead and Stowe.

Lunch at the Gastwirtschaft im Küchengabäude Restaurant beside the palace. Continue to Potsdam, for a special guided visit with Tom Abbott of Schloss Sanssouci (meaning ‘carefree’), the exquisite summer palace of Frederick the Great. Dating from the mid-18th century, the palace was the Emperor’s retreat where he entertained some of the most educated and enlightened men of his time. The tour of the palace includes the concert and reception rooms, and the opulent Marble Hall decorated in the finest German style. Continue to Berlin and check in at the Hotel Westin Grand, where three nights are spent. Located in the heart of Berlin’s historic centre, the Hotel Westin Grand is within walking distance of many of the city’s highlights. Dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 4: Friday, 21st October Berlin Depart (on foot) for Museum Island, the oldest museum complex in Berlin, which was over 70% destroyed during World War II. Since reunification, the collections of both east and west are now once again combined here. Begin with a visit to the Neues Museum (New Museum) which houses the Egyptian Museum, including the famous bust of Nefertiti and the Papyrus Collection and the Museum of Prehistory and Early History. Continue to the world-famous Pergamonmuseum which houses the Classical and Near Eastern Antiquities collections and the Museum of Islamic Art. See the reconstructed archaeological ensembles such as the Market Gate of Miletus and the Ishtar Gate, including the Processional Way of Babylon and the Mshatta Façade. The Pergamon Altar is currently closed for restoration.

Walk over to the Olbricht Collection for lunch and a brief visit, and then back to Museum Island via the Hackescher Hof area. Visit the to see the great German painters like Caspar Dvid Freidrich as well as Impressionist by Edouard Manet, , Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne and by Auguste Rodin. Return to the hotel. Dinner under own arrangements. Option to attend an opera or concert performance.

Alte Nationalgalerie Charlottenburg

Day 5: Saturday, 22nd October Berlin Special guided visit to with Tom Abbot, a shining example of and the largest palace in Berlin. It was originally built by Elector Frederick III as a summer residence for his wife Sophie Charlotte in 1699 and is surrounded by a beautiful park. The palace was expanded after Frederick became the first Prussian King, Friedrich I. The Swedish master Johann Eosander von Göthe supervised the expansion, which included the addition of the cupola and the construction of the wing. The east wing (New Wing) was added between 1740 and 1746 by Frederick the Great (King Friedrich

II) and houses his apartments and a fine collection of paintings by Watteau. Severely damaged by allied bombing in 1943, the palace was meticulously reconstructed after the war.

Lunch at the Kleine Orangerie restaurant. Continue to the Berggruen Museum situated in the Western Stüler Building, opposite Charlottenburg Palace, which houses works of classic modern art (Picasso, Klee, Giacometti, Matisse). Dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 6: Sunday, 23rd October Berlin Depart by coach and drive past the site of the former , once the edge of the ‘free’ world. Continue to the Brandenberg Gate and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, designed by architect Peter Eisenman, followed by the Government District. Drive to the Kemperplatz, across from the , which is the heart of Berlin’s (Cultural Centre) and where there is a striking mixture of architectural styles from different periods. Visit the Gemäldegalerie housing one of the world's finest collections of European art from the 13th to 18th century, with masterpieces by artists from every age of art history such as van Eyck, Bruegel, Dürer, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Rubens, Vermeer and Rembrandt. Continue to the Museum of Decorative Arts which houses world-famous examples of European arts and crafts, including magnificent reliquaries made of gold and precious gemstones, exquisite vases of glass and porcelain, finely embroidered textiles, ornate inlaid furniture, and classic examples of modern industrial design.

The Glass of Wine, Vermeer, Gemäldegalerie Reichstag Dome

Drive to the Reichstag and have lunch in the roof restaurant commanding panoramic views over the city. Visit Sir Norman Foster’s inspired new interior and dome which are one of the most impressive features of the city. The Reichstag’s past reflects the turbulence of German history since the 19th century. Since 1999 the has once again been the seat of the German Bundestag. Transfer to Berlin Tegel airport for a British Airways afternoon flight to London Heathrow.

Tour Price

COST PER PERSON: £2,395 Single supplement: £310 A fee of £95 per person will be charged for those who would like to travel out or back separately from the main group.

The tour cost includes:  economy class scheduled flights  air passenger duty, passenger service charge, airline security charges, airport taxes and fuel surcharges where applicable – currently £64 (liable to change without notice)  accommodation throughout as shown in the itinerary  breakfast daily; 6 lunches; 3 dinners  all visits and excursions as per the itinerary  all transportation as detailed in the itinerary  all entrance fees  local English-speaking guide/s  gratuities to guide/s; gratuities to driver/s  gratuities in restaurants  porterage  the services of your tour leader and guest lecturer throughout

The tour cost does NOT include:  travel insurance  items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls / laundry etc.)  government levies or taxes introduced after costing and publication of this programme on 01/08/15

Changes to the Itinerary Please note, that certain elements of this itinerary, and/or the order of events, may well be subject to alteration due to circumstances beyond our control.

Fitness to travel Whilst we do not impose any age limitations on joining a tour, participants must be reasonably fit. The very nature of the sightseeing involved in our tours (and the difficulties of direct access by coach in various places) means that a considerable amount of walking and standing is unavoidable on almost all tours. We regret that our tours are not suitable for people who have difficulty in walking, may require wheelchair assistance at any time, or are unable to keep pace with the group. If you are in any doubt as to the suitability of a tour, please make this known to us before you book and we will advise you accordingly. The Ultimate Travel Company reserves the right to decline a reservation without necessarily giving a reason. Your tour leader may also refuse to take participants on particular excursions if they feel that the rest of the group will be held up.

Airline Tickets As a tour operator we have access to special airfares. While these offer good value, they do carry certain restrictions applied by the airline. Please ask us for details.

Note: If you are thinking about using air miles to upgrade to a premium cabin on the flights, please check with us first as fare restrictions might not permit this.

Accommodation Hotels are chosen on the basis of category, character and location. The majority will be at least 4 star, otherwise the best available. The projected size of the group will often rule out the use of luxury boutique hotels. Sometimes the style of hotel will mean that not all rooms are of the same size or have the same outlook.

Health Requirements There are no mandatory health requirements for visitors to Germany, and no inoculations are required.

Passport and Visa Information Passengers should hold a full passport. British passport holders do not require a visa to visit Germany. Nationals of other countries should consult their local German Consulate. Please ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months from the date of entry.

FCO Advice Travel advice issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office can be viewed at www.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo.