Dresden is the capital of Saxony, the nursery of the Holy Roman Empire in the early middle ages, and of the Reformation in the Renaissance. An opportune conversion to Catholicism and Russian support ensured the election of Frederick-Augustus of Saxony, known to history as Augustus the Strong, to the Polish throne in 1697. It was a Russian army who restored him to it in 1709 at the end of the Northern War, and another which installed his son, Augstus III at the expense

of Stanislas Leszczynski. Thus was the wealth of Poland added to the already considerable riches of Saxony - derived chiefly from mineral resources - to transform the capital of this German state into the Florence of the North. Our tour of Dresden includes visits to the principal museums and monuments and two performances – Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Kurt Weil’s Street Scene - at the beautiful Semper Opera House.

The flight from London will be met at Dresden airport by the tour leader and together we transfer to our hotel in the centre of the city.
This evening we have dinner together in a local restaurant.

We begin with a walking tour of old Dresden including the Cathedral or Hofkirche a manifestation of Catholic fervour in an otherwise Protestant city; the recently restored Frauenkirche, a manifestation of Protestant civic pride in the face of Augustus' conversion to Catholicism; and the Kreuzkirche, whose bare interior is a reminder of the disasters of war. After an independent lunch, the afternoon will be free to stroll about the town, take tea on the Bruhl terrace overlooking the Elbe, or retire for a nap before dinner and this evening’s performance at the Semper Opera House of Mozart’s Don Giovanni.

Today we will explore the Zwinger. A succession of galleries and pavilions embracing a lawned courtyard originally open to the banks of the Elbe, the river side was closed in 1847 by Gottfried Semper, architect of the opera house, who grafted on to the Baroque tendrils of the original structure an enormous building in grave Renaissance style to house the Royal collection of Old Masters. Our visit this morning will include the celebrated porcelain collection housed in a wing of the Zwinger. After an independent lunch, we will return to spend the afternoon in the Old Masters Gallery, one of the finest art collections in Europe.

Augustus the Strong's passion for collecting extended not only to the novelties of porcelain, as we saw in the Zwinger yesterday, but also to the most elaborate and expensive toys that the greatest goldsmiths and jewellers of the age could devise. His cabinet of curiosities remains the most spectacular collection of its kind in Europe. Today's visits take us to the Royal Palace and the two Green Vaults in which these prodigies are displayed. There will be some time for a rest at the end of the afternoon before dinner and this evening’s performance of Kurt Weill’s Street Scene at the Semper Opera House.

We transfer from our hotel to Dresden airport for our flight home.

• Accommodation - 4 nights Bed & Breakfast in a 4 star city centre hotel, plus 3 dinners.
• Transport
  • Private transfers between the airport and the hotel in Dresden.
  • Private and public transport in the city as appropriate.

First or second series tickets for performances detailed in the itinerary.

Excursions as outlined in the itinerary.

Entrance fees to all places mentioned in the itinerary

Services of an experienced lecturer/tour leader -

Local guide where required by local legislation

All tips and gratuities

• Insurance
  • It is a condition of booking that you have adequate travel insurance to cover your needs when you travel with us. This will need to cover a missed departure, any emergency that may arise while you are travelling with us, and should also enable you to claim back from the insurance company any monies already paid to us or due to us in the event of your having to cancel the tour after booking and before the departure date.
    
    If you have difficulty finding cover due to your age, it may be of help to know that there are at least two companies who provide Travel Insurance to those over retirement age:-
    • Age Concern - Tel 0845 601 2234 Click here for Website
    • Saga - Tel 0800 559 3231 Click here for Website
  
  
• Walking - Most of our tours involve a good deal of walking.
• Sites and Museums - Archaeological sites in some countries can be rough and uneven underfoot and do not always conform to western standards of health and safety.

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ACCOMMODATION:                 Single Rooms: 0 1 2 3 4          Double Rooms: 0 1 2 3 4          Twin Rooms: 0 1 2 3 4

FLIGHTS:             Economy Class    Club Class (if available and at supplementary cost)    None