NTA PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TRIP RECAP Once Kingdoms, Bavaria and Bohemia Captivate with Traditions, Stories NTA Tour Operators Explore New Product BY PENNY WHITMAN IN OCTOBER, five NTA-member tour operators participated in the product development trip to Bavaria—Germany’s most southeastern state—and its neighbor Bohemia, the largest of the Czech Republic’s three historical regions. The two desti- nations, each having been an independent kingdom, share a border along a region of UNESCO-protected wilderness, beer culture, and a wealth of historical villages and cities. But the differences in their histories and cultures create an interest- ing contrast and a thought provoking journey when part of a two-country itinerary. BAVARIA – A Land of Traditions Bavaria is the largest and oldest of Germany’s states, and Bavarians are grounded in their traditions, which they enjoy, such as biergarten culture and Christmas markets. In the heart of Munich, just around the corner from Marienplatz, is the Viktualienmarkt or open-air food market and the city’s biergarten, which accommodates about 600 people at tradi- tional long, narrow tables. Beer is considered liquid bread in Bavaria, where the average resident consumes approximately 150 liters (40 gallons) a year, and Bavarians like to sit outside to enjoy a liter in almost any weather. The large flat leaves of the native Chesnut trees, also a biergarten tradition, even provide some cover from light rain. A source of Bavarian pride is the Purity Law of 1516, which declared that barley, hops and water were the only ingre- dients allowed in the production of beer. Though officially lifted in 1987 after a ruling by the European Union, the purity law’s tradition continues in the region. Munich’s Christmas market dates back to the 14th century and features a nearly 100-foot-tall Christmas tree covered with Bohemia's Ceský Krumlov candles. Each Bavarian city’s Christmas market has its own Munich’s Mechanical Dancers Nazi Party Rally Grounds and Most of Munich’s Neues Rathaus, or new Documentation Centre town hall, was completed in 1874 and Hitler’s unfinished and abandoned its 259-foot tower was added 15 years Congress Hall outside Nuremberg has been later. Gather at Marienplatz (St. Mary’s repurposed in this architecturally striking Square) at 11 a.m. and noon (and 5 p.m. museum often referred to as the Docu in the summer) to hear and see the Centre. Exhibits focus on topics with a di- world-famous glockenspiel—32 nearly rect link to Nuremberg, from the history of Brews & Breakfast life-sized mechanical dancers perform the party rallies on the nearby Nazi Party stories from the city’s folklore. Rally Grounds to the Nuremberg Trials. Fortify your early-arriving travelers at Airbraü, the world’s only airport brewery, located in the Munich Airport. The View from Here Diners can take a brewery Nuremberg’s Imperial Castle and histori- tour and enjoy Bavarian spe- cal center are perched above the rest of cialties made from locally the city and best explored by walking. The sourced ingredients. How mighty castle is one of the most important about two Bavarian-style veal fortified palaces of the Old Holy Roman sausages with mustard and a Empire. Also, see Albrect Durer’s house pretzel? www.munich-airport and stroll the city’s cobblestone streets to .de/en/micro/airbraeu find fun boutiques for great shopping. 114 January 2014 features, but all offer stalls of handcrafted gifts and the tradi- Bavaria tional treats of the season: mulled wine, roasted almonds, sau- sages and lebkuchen, a special gingerbread from Nuremberg. Nuremberg’s Christmas Market is perhaps the most famous in Bavaria. The Christkindlesmarkt dates back to the 1600s and features the Christkind: a beautiful local girl who presides over the opening ceremony on the first Sunday of Advent and serves the community throughout the season by making special appearances at kindergartens, homes for the elderly and hospitals. In the old town of Regensburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we encountered another local tradition: snuff. Our guide took us into the former buildings of the Bernard Snuff Factory where visitors can see how the tobacco was finely ground then mixed with fla- “In one afternoon in vorings, herbs and sugar. One Munich, you can drink member of our group tried the delicious Bavarian beer white, tobacco-free pepper- in a brewery that’s been mint snuff and was amazed to around for centuries sur- find her sinuses clear. rounded by local people wearing traditional Nuremberg’s history has two clothes (lederhosen and key elements—its status as dirndls), and then visit a key palace of the Old Holy BMW World to discover Roman Empire and its iden- cutting-edge technology, tity as the place where Hitler innovative design and Czech Republic established the Nazi Party Rally modern architecture.” Grounds, and later, where the — Susan Krulic, Bavaria Tourism, Nuremberg Trials were held. New York Today, the Rally Ground’s stone grandstand is crumbling, and it looks out over an open space in which people ride bikes, push strollers and enjoy pick-up soccer games, although the energy of the place still feels heavy. In the nearby Documentation Centre, which was built in part of Hitler’s abandoned Congress Hall, simple, powerful exhibits tell the familiar story, especially as it relates to Nuremberg. We also visited the Memorium Nuremberg Trials and Courtroom 600 at the Palace of Justice, the site of the Nuremberg Trials. This permanent exhibit opened in 2010 to interpret the background, proceedings and consequences of the trials. While Cruise the Danube on Regensburg’s Intimate, Elegant Fine Dining in Ceský Krumlov Crystal Fleet Hotel Bellevue is tucked into a tiny side street in the heart Admire Regensburg’s skyline on a 45-minute of the historical area. Its restaurant, Le Jardin, offers a cruise on the Crystal Princess, or enjoy special- contemporary, lighter take on Czech gastronomy with an event evenings with dining on the Crystal Queen. international flair. An excellent wine cellar complements Both ships are exclusively made with Swarovski the fabulous menu. www.bellevuehotelkrumlov.cz elements. www.donauschiffahrt.de/en Visit the Home of Artful Cuisine and Design at Hotel Nautilus Walk Like an Aristocrat the Real Budweiser Hotel Nautilus is one hour Legendary aristocrat Petr The tradition of brew- south of Prague on Tábor’s Vok, the last descendant of ing beer in Ceské historical square. The 4-star the Rožmberk family, will Budejovice dates boutique hotel, decorated walk you through Ceský back to the 13th cen- with original Czech art and Krumlov, sharing stories tury. Visitors to the contemporary design, of- about his life in the castle and Budweiser Budvar fers 22 rooms. The hotel’s his beloved city’s greatest Brewery can see the restaurant, Goldie, presents days before he was forced production facility astounding contemporary to sell Krumlov to Emperor and taste its award- Czech cuisine prepared by Rudolf II of Habsburg in 1601 winning beers. www. internationally acclaimed to resolve debts. visitbudvar.cz Chef Martin Svatek. www.NTAonline.com 115 NTA PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TRIP RECAP: BAVARIA AND BOHEMIA Courtroom 600 is still an active court, visitors can “Southern Bohemia is violent illegitimate son, don Julius D’Austria, view it on days when court is not in session. one of the most pictur- who later threw his unfortunate lover out of esque areas in the Czech As we met and interacted with Bavarians the castle window. Republic. The region along our journey, the topic of the Holocaust In the picturesque medieval town of Tábor, combines various tour- was rarely left untouched. While it is a history ism themes—UNESCO we learned about Jan Hus, a Czech priest, phi- that many young Germans would clearly like cities, beer, castles, losopher and Church reformer who was burned to move past, their communities have worked ponds and lakes [for at the stake in 1415 for heresy. After his death, hard to make sure it is never forgotten. recreation].” followers of his religious teachings (known as —Michaela Claudino, Hussites) rebelled against their Roman Catholic CzechTourism, New York BOHEMIA – A Land of Stories rulers and defeated five consecutive papal cru- Bohemia, now one of the Czech Republic’s three sades in what became known as the Hussite historical regions, was once a kingdom in the Holy Roman Wars. Tábor was founded by the great Hussite leader Jan Empire, and its capital, Prague, was the center of the empire in Žižka, and a statue of him stands in the town square. the late 14th century, and at the end of the 16th and beginning We visited the fairy tale chateau of Hluboká, which was orig- of the 17th century. In the last years of the Austro-Hungarian inally founded as a guarding castle in the mid-13th century by Empire, Bohemia was its most advanced and economically the kings of Bohemia but changed hands frequently as differ- prosperous crown land. It is this pre-World War I history that ent aristocratic families moved in and out of power. The most has given the Czech Republic so much of its rich tourism famous family to have lived there was the Schwarzenbergs, product: its castles, cultural attractions and World Heritage who made it their residence from 1661 until the end of 1939, sites, many of which were untouched during World War II and when they emigrated overseas to escape the Nazis. the subsequent period in which the Czechs were part of the In Prague, walking across the Charles Bridge, which has Soviet bloc. During our visit to the beautiful region of southern linked both sides of the Vltava River since the Middle Ages, we Bohemia, we heard many stories about families and aristo- heard many more stories as we observed each of the 30 reli- cratic characters, and the fortunes they gained and lost.