From the Saxon Kings to Modern Germany - A History of Germany
About the tour
Follow the history of Germany from the powerful Saxon kings to the rise of Prussia - exemplified by Sansoucci, Frederick the Great’s magnificent summer palace in Potsdam. The reach of the major German kingdoms was extended via marriage into the royal families of Europe, including the British royal family. The story continues with the Kaiser and the rise and fall of imperial Germany, through WWII and the Cold War to the modern day.
Your guide and speaker will trace the fascinating history of Germany with visits to key sites to illustrate the story. Speaker Giles Milton’s background is WWII and his particular focus will be 20th century Berlin and the Cold War.
Download our brochure From the Saxon Kings to Modern Germany - A History of Germany
Our online booking system is temporarily unable to accept payments. If you would like to book this tour please call our office on:(Toll Free) 1-8777-398-764.
Your tour leader
Speaker - Giles Milton
Giles Milton is the is the internationally best-selling author of eleven books, including narrative non-fiction such as Nathaniel's Nutmeg, White Gold, Samurai William, Paradise Lost, Russian Roulette, D-Day: The Soldier's Story and Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. His most recent work is Checkmate in Berlin, which recounts the first battle in the Cold War in Berlin. His next book, The Stalin Affair, is about the Allied men and women who worked alongside Stalin during four turbulent years of war and will be released later this year. He is also the author of three novels, 'The Perfect Corpse', 'According to Arnold' and 'Edward Trencom's Nose'.
Giles Milton’s book 'Nathaniel’s Nutmeg' is currently under option in America for a major TV series while his most recent title, 'Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' is also under option.
His books have been translated into more than twenty languages and have been serialised on both the BBC and in British newspapers.
The Times described Milton as being able ‘to take an event from history and make it come alive’, while The New York Times said that Milton’s ‘prodigious research yields an entertaining, richly informative look at the past.'
Milton's works of narrative history rely on personal testimonies, diaries, journals and letters to tell the story of key moments in history, recounted through the eyes of those who were there.
Giles Milton will be a specialist speaker, accompanied by a full time national guide.
Need more information?
- Tel: (Toll Free) 1-8777-398-764
- Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm
Itinerary at a glance
- Day 1: Dresden (Monday, 30 Sept) Fly to Berlin and meet the guide and bus transfer at the airport. Drive to Dresden and overnight at the NH Hotel. Local dinner.
- Day 2: Dresden (Tuesday, 1 Oct) Meet with your local guide and take part in a walking tour of the city, including the Frauenkirche (Our Lady) Church and Dresden Cathedral. Visit Zwinger Palace, a lavish complex with gardens and one of the most important buildings of the Baroque period in Germany. It is the legacy of the reign of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. Walk to visit the German Hygiene Museum, a medical museum and a forum for science, culture and society, whose history reflects that of 20th century Germany.
- Day 3: Dresden (Wednesday, 2 Oct) Visit the Green Vault, which contains the largest treasure collection in Europe. The museum was founded in 1723 by Augustus the Strong and includes a number of exhibits encompassing Classicism to Baroque See Pillnitz Palace and visit the museum. Walk in extensive parklands, including 18th century English gardens, a Chinese Pavilion, an Italianate Temple and a palm house. Enjoy a cruise along the Elbe with coffee and cake.
- Day 4: Dresden / Berlin (Thurs, 3 Oct) Drive to the Renaissance Colditz Castle, also the site of Oflag IV-C, a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II for "incorrigible" Allied officers, who had repeatedly attempted to escape from other camps. Drive to Berlin and check in to the Westin Hotel. Local dinner.
- Day 5: Berlin (Fri, 4 Oct) Take a walking tour from Bebelplatz and the Empty Library in the historic heart of Berlin. Continue to the German Resistance Museum, the site of Führerbunker, Holocaust Memorial, Brandenburg Gate and the Soviet Memorial.
- Day 6: Berlin (Sat, 5 Oct) Drive to Potsdam and visit magnificent Sanssouci Palace and park.Visit Schloss Cecilienhof, Glienicker Bridge (Bridge of Spies) and Rathaus Schoneberg.
- Day 7: Berlin (Sun, 6 Oct) Take a walking tour in Gendarmenmarkt, seeing Check-Point Charlie, the Detlev-Rohwedder-Haus Topography of Terror, Potsdammer Platz and Kulturforum. Time at leisure, with the option to visit to a number of excellent museums. A 3-day museum pass is included as part of the tour – visits could include the New National Gallery, Picture Gallery and Stasi Museum. Farewell dinner.
- Day 8: Berlin (Mon, 7 Oct) Depart hotel after breakfast.
Tour cost
The cost of the tour per person sharing is US $4,014. The cost of the tour with a room to yourself is US $4,710. (Excl. int'l flights and transfers).
Our online booking system is temporarily unable to accept payments. If you would like to book this tour please call our office on:(Toll Free) 1-8777-398-764.