Winter in the Harz Mountains

Enjoy the best of German steam and snowy-drenched landscapes in the stunning Harz Mountains. This exciting holiday also includes a visit to Saxony for additional steam, culture and World War II history.

• Experience the best of German narrow gauge steam with a 3-day Harz Rover ticket, allowing you to storm up to Mount Brocken, while also exploring the rest of the network.
• Visit Leipzigs tramway museum and board a privately hired sightseeing tour with a luxurios Maximum car from the
  early 1900s.
• Enjoy steam at two other heritage railways, including the Meuselwitz mining railway south of Leipzig and the Berlin Park Railway at Wuhlheide.
• Travel by steam through the eastern part of the Harz narrow gauge network, on board a powerful 2-10-2 tank engine at Quedlinburg for the round-trip to Alexisbad.

Saturday 21 February
London to Leipzig
 You travel to Leipzig from London St Pancras via Brussels and Frankfurt on Eurostar and ICE high-speed services, including the Erfurt to Leipzig high-speed line in Central Germany. In Leipzig, you check into your 4-star city centre hotel, near the railway station and all the major attractions. A light dinner of soup and sandwiches is served after arrival. (B D)

Sunday 22 February 
Steam at the Meuselwitz heritage railway and a visit to Colditz Castle
Today you visit the fascinating Meuselwitz mining railway, a remarkable industrial history complex with fascinating buildings and a special collection of tank engines as well as giant electric steeple cab locomotives. You have a private charter steam train over the length of the line, including numerous run-pasts and photo opportunities. Lunch will also be served in the museum grounds at a nice restaurant. In the afternoon you continue by coach to nearby Colditz Castle. This iconic landmark served as an allegedly escape-proof prison for Allied officers during the Second World War and was made famous by a 1970s BBC television series. You return to Leipzig in the late afternoon and may enjoy the evening at leisure in the city, perhaps sampling one of the many famous brew houses. (B L)

Monday 23 February
Sightseeing tour of Leipzig by heritage tramway, visit to Napoleonic battle monument
After breakfast you visit Leipzig’s wonderful tramway museum near the main railway station and then have a private sightseeing tour aboard an old and quite luxurious ‘Maximum’ car from the early 1900s. You will see the city centre and principal landmarks as well as the well preserved historical districts of interest. The tramway will also take you to the monumental Battle of Nations memorial from the Napoleonic battle that took place in Leipzig in 1813. From the top of the monument tower you have wonderful views of the city and its spires. After some free time to further explore Leipzig at your own leisure in the afternoon, you will have dinner at the Rathauskeller, the cellar restaurant and brew pub of the historic city hall from 1907. (B D)

Tuesday 24 February 
Steam in Berlin and Brandenburg Gate
In the morning you take a direct ICE express from Leipzig to Berlin, where you first visit the large park railway at Wuhlheide, which features an elaborate network and extensive steam locomotive collection. You have a private charter train replete with run-pasts and photo stops, before visiting the steam shed for warm tea, mulled wine and cake. Afterwards you continue directly by train to the city centre of Berlin, where you have the opportunity to visit Brandenburg Gate and see the Reichstag building. You return to Leipzig in the evening and have dinner at the Bayerischer Bahnhof, the city original railway station dating from 1843 and framed by a large white portal arch. (B L D)

Wednesday 25 February
Harz steam from Norhausen to the Brocken and Wernigerode
Today you experience the best of legendary German ‘Plandampf’ on the large Harz narrow-gauge network. As an unusual treat, you’ll enjoy a steam departure from Nordhausen before travelling north over the long trunk line to the junction station of Drei Annen Hohne. From there, your train gets a different steam locomotive for the ascent up Mount Brocken. As you storm up the spiraling line through snow-covered pine forests, you listen to the 2-10-2 tank engine battle the gradients. At an altitude of 1141 metres (3743 feet) it’s Northern Germany’s highest point and the most famous steam train terminus in the country. After refreshments and photo opportunities at the summit, you descend back to Drei Annen Hohne, travelling behind the third different steam locomotive of the day. From Drei Annen Hohne you carry on to Wernigerode, having completed 80km’s behind steam over the largest part of the Harz network. You spend the next two nights at a centrally located hotel in Wernigerode, a pretty town well known for its colourful timber-framed houses. Dinner is served at your hotel this evening. (B D)

Thursday 26 February
Steam from Quedlinburg and along the Selke Valley
There’s steam on the menu today in the eastern part of the Harz narrow gauge network, on board a powerful 2-10-2 tank engine at Quedlinburg for the round-trip to Alexisbad. Along the way the locomotive overcomes some formidable inclines and passes through beautiful landscapes, a delightful steam round-trip.
You’ll be able to explore the UNESCO-designated town of Quedlinburg with its timber framed buildings and impressive hilltop basilica. In the late afternoon you’ll return by DB service train to Wernigerode and dinner at the hotel in the evening. (B D)

Friday 27 February
Day at leisure with Harz network rover
This is the final day of your three day Harz network experience, your chance again to perhaps travel up the amazing Brockenbahn with its steep gradients, snow-covered scenery and spiraling alignment. You can also film or photograph trains at the junction station Drei Annen Hohne, or take one of the regular steam services to Eisfelder Talmühle. Alternatively, simply relax in Wernigerode and enjoy the markets, castles and cultural attractions before returning to the hotel for dinner. (B D)

Saturday 28 February
Return to London by high-speed rail
It’s time to say Auf Wiedersehen to Germany as you travel from Essen via Cologne to Brussels on ICE high-speed services, before changing onto a Eurostar for the direct return to London St. Pancras. (B)